Jondrette gathered several of the Patron-Minette to his side and began to whisper with them.

"Did you see that boy that just left?"

"With the scarf?"

"Yeah."

"What about him?"

"The state of his frocks."

"What about them?"

"Do you not think he was rich?"

"Uh… I dunno."

"Was he rich, Jondrette?"

"Who do you suppose he is, this knight fellow? Do you suppose he's rich?"

"Dunno."

"He might be."

"I know just how to find out… but I'd have to leave the room. Don't let him escape," Jondrette whispered. "Deux-Milliards, guard the door."

The insignificant Deux-Milliards nodded.

"Regard, noble squire!" Enjolras cried, holding Jehan's scarf out for Grantaire to see.

"S'lovely."

Enjolras beamed. "I have vanquished the evil rabbit-monster and created of its hide… a scarf!"

"Yes, it's very nice, Sir Enjolras."

"Well," Jondrette said loudly, "I need to go stretch my legs." He started toward the door and whispered to Deux-Milliards, "Make sure the knight doesn't leave this room until I come and get him."

Deux-Milliards nodded. "He's not to leave the room even if you come and get him."

"No, no," Jondrette hissed, "Until I come and get him."

"Until you come and get him, I'm not to enter the room."

"No, no. No. You stay in the room and make sure he doesn't leave."

"And you'll come and get him."

"Right." Jondrette turned to go.

"I don't need to do anything apart from just stop him entering the room," Deux-Milliards said proudly.

"No, no," Jondrette corrected, "Leaving the room."

"Leaving the room. Yes."

"All right?" Jondrette asked.

"Right," said Deux-Milliards.

"Right." Again Jondrette put a hand on the door.

"Oh, if… if… if, uh… if… if… uh… if… if I-"

"Yes? What is it?"

Deux-Milliards frowned. "Oh, i-if… uh…"

"Look, it's quite simple," Jondrette said patiently.

"Uh..."

"You just stay here and make sure he doesn't leave the room. All right?"

Deux-Milliards seemed pensive.

"Right," said Jondrette.

"Oh, I remember. Uh, can he leave the room with me?"

"N-no, no. No. You just keep him in here and make sure he-"

"Oh, yes. I'll keep him in here, obviously, but if he had to leave and I were with him-"

"No, no, no, no. Just keep him in here-"

"Until you or anyone else-"

"No, not anyone else. Just me."

"Just you."

"Get back."

"Get back."

"All right?"

"Right," Deux-Milliards said. "I'll stay here until you get back."

Jondrette nodded. "And, uh, make sure he doesn't leave."

Deux-Milliards started. "What?"

"Make sure he doesn't leave."

"The knight?"

"Yes. Make sure he doesn't leave."

"Oh, yes, of course," Deux-Milliards nodded.

"Is that clear?"

"Oh, quite clear. No problems."

"Right." Jondrette said at last. He opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

Deux-Milliards followed him.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm coming with you."

"No, no. I want you to stay here and make sure he doesn't leave."

"Oh, I see. Right," said Deux-Milliards. He returned to his post as Jondrette left the room.

Montparnasse rolled his eyes. "Dunno why he didn't ask me to do it."

"Because you'd kill him," Babet muttered.

"Kill who?"

"The knight."

"No, I wouldn't. Why would I do that?"

Babet pointed to the other side of the room, where Enjolras was making Eponine a present of the scarf. The latter seemed very pleased with this gift and was beaming at the former.

"I wish thee wear it in health, my lady Patria," he was saying.

Eponine scowled. "That's not my name."

"To each his Patria," Grantaire whispered.

The girl shrugged, then turned to Enjolras. "Why do you do the things you do?"

"What things, my lady Patria?"

"Um… pretend to be a knight?"

"Gasp!" Enjolras shouted. "Pretend, sayst-thee? Pretend? I am a true servant of the greater good! A dreamer of the impossible dream! A fighter of the unbeatable foe! A bearer of the unbearable sorrow! I run where the brave dare not go!"

"Right," sighed Eponine.

There was a loud, ominous knock on the door.