Chapter Three- In Which The Immigrants cannot speak their native languages and we find out that only Eponine can dance out of all of the Harlem Ensemble.
A/N: I'm skipping around in a lot of this again. I hope this doesn't offend anyone. Again, a slash warning. I don't own Les Miserables or Ragtime. Please review but no flames.
As a recap since Grantaire actually did something right. After Gavroche called Cosette the Harlot of Babylon, Fantine found a black baby buried in her garden. She called a doctor and the police who brought Grantaire, revealing that it was his… her… his… son and that he had buried him. They threatened jail for Grantaire and an orphanage for the baby, but Fantine, being so kind hearted since Thenardier had left on a boat with Admiral Perry to the North Pole, took Grantaire and the baby in. We rejoin our miserable heroes as Valjean, Azelma, and the immigrants arrive at Ellis Island.
Well, the words that came out of the mouths of the "immigrants" should not be written here because some were not very appropriate and others just were gibberish. The only one who knew any of the languages (Which were Haitian, Russian, and Italian) was Jean Prouvaire (Who knew Italian and was angry at the fact that he had to speak Haitian, a language he didn't know). Well, the chaos of that moment was even more ruined by the second silhouette moment in which the domino effect started in front of the scrim as the immigrants tried to cycle around it doing poses. Valjean showed the relevance of using the silhouettes by explaining that that was what he was selling as an immigrant trying to succeed. Madame Thenardier tried to get him to join in her movement against capitalist America. Valjean refused and attacked a man who tried to buy Azelma.
As that scene ended, Jean Prouvaire, Combeferre, Courfeyrac, and Feuilly rolled on the piano as Joly and Eponine entered with Enjolras, each linking arms with him.
"His name was Marc Enjolras" The ensemble sang.
"Was a native of St. Louis some years before." Sang Jean Prouvaire.
"When he heard the music of Scott Joplin" Joly sang
"In St. Louis." Feuilly added.
"Bought himself some piano lessons workin' as a stevedore." Eponine sang, showing off her suddenly soulful, contralto voice hoping to impress Grantaire.
By this time Enjolras was seated at the piano as the rest of the Ensemble sat around him.
"Here was a music that truly inspired him." Courfeyrac sang.
"Dancers required him." Joly and Eponine sang.
"Club Owners hired him" Courfeyrac, Jean Prouvaire, Combeferre, and Feuilly sang.
"The strivers of Harlem respected and admired him," The ensemble sang.
"For turning Harlem into Art." Combeferre sang.
"But Enjolras had a broken heart." Enjolras sang.
The rest of the Ensemble showed pity… or tried to without laughing.
"The Good Lord looked down, and saw me lonely and loveless, and said to himself, 'I'm putting Grantaire in Enjolras' life." Enjolras said.
Joly smiled. If his plan worked, Grantaire would be happy with Enjolras and he could get Eponine.
"And he did," Enjolras sang. The Ensemble made a general noise of approval as Enjolras pretended to change the tune of the song. "This wasn't a woman. This was… a… man… A drunken man… Now 'Jolras loved this drunkard, but not wisely and not too well… He left me without a word or a trace… There was no pity for me…"
"None whatsoever, 'Jolras ,"Joly said ala one of the women on "Maury" or "Jerry Springer".
"Now he is haunting me
Just like a melody
The only song I seem to know.
Grantaire my life has changed
Grantaire I miss you so
Grantaire I did you wrong
Grantaire where did you go?
And then this morning… the miracle happened! I found out where he is! And I'm gonna do my best to see he take me back! Ladies and Gentlemen! The Getting' Ready Rag!"
The piano somehow got offstage as the cast began clapping. Eponine was the only one clapping on the beat. Soon, they started to dance, an effort met with little success. The boys ended up tangled on the floor as Eponine and Enjolras were the only ones able to continue the dance. Eponine, realizing that Combeferre had been incapacitated, ran off to get Enjolras' new hat. She spun it to him and he did an impressive hat twirl getting it onto his head.
"Think of what a better man he'll see when Monsieur Montparnasse puts me at the wheel of a Model T!"
Well, nothing too eventful happened in the next scene (unfortunately because La Epster was sure that the dead French people who couldn't handle the Getting' Ready Rag couldn't possibly do the dances with heavy machinery) but somehow… somehow they pulled off the scene in the Ford Auto Plant.The next scene established both the newfound friendship of Valjean and Fantine and Gavroche and Azelma but also it established the hatred between the firemen on the way to Fantine's home and Enjolras.
Grantaire soon entered, cradling the baby.
"Ooh ooh
Ooh Ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Daddy played piano
Played it very well
Music from those hands could catch you like a spell
He could make you love him
'Fore the tune was done
You have your daddy's hands…
You are your daddy's son."
Enjolras stood by the curtain and looked out at Grantaire. He felt pity for the drunkard as well as that feeling that he had tried so hard to fight.
"Daddy Never knew that you were on your way…
He had other… ladies…
And other tunes to play.
When he up and left me
I just up and run
Only thing in my head…
You are your daddy's son.
Couldn't hear no music..
Couldn't see no light
Grantaire, he was frightened,
Crazy from the fright.
Tears without no comfort
Screams without no sound
Only Darkness and pain
The anger and pain
The blood and the pain-"
Grantaire paused a second reflecting on the image and winced. "Eugh."
"I buried my heart in the ground
In the ground!
When I buried you in the ground.
He felt a tear threaten to spill from his eye as Grantaire's deep baritone sailed through the air. He could hear sadness in Grantaire's voice as he sang. Enjolras bit his lower lip and looked away.
"Daddy played piano…
bet he's playin' still
Grantaire can't forget him…
Don't suppose I will…
God wants no excuses…
I have only one…
You have your daddy's hands
Forgive me…
You are your daddy's son…"
Grantaire began to cry softly into the "baby". Enjolras wiped away a tear and prepared to enter. Grantaire went stage left, handing the baby to Fantine. Enjolras entered from stage right and "knocked" on the "door". Fantine answered.
"Hello. I'm looking for a man of color by the name of Grantaire. He is said to reside n one of these houses."
"I'll go in and see if he'll come out." Fantine said.
Gavroche took the baby from her and showed him to Enjolras as Fantine went to get Grantaire.
"This is the Grantaire's baby… You want a cookie?" Gavroche said. "That must be the most random line-"
La Epster cleared her throat. Enjolras cradled his and Grantaire's son. Fantine went to Grantaire.
"Grantaire, you have a caller. A Monsieur Enjolras-"
"Send him away… Please…" Grantaire said desperately.
"Well, that's the most you've said this whole time… Very well." Fantine said as she left Grantaire and went to Enjolras. "Grantaire won't see you now. Good day."
"Very Well… thank you madame… Tell him I'll be back next week!"
"Such was the coming of the colored man in the car to Broadview Avenue." Bahorel said. He then pondered his last statement. "Why are we calling him 'colored' when-"
La Epster glared at him.
"Each Sunday he'd come driving
Curtains would part,
Neighbors would peek. " The offstage ensemble sang.
"I'm sorry, Enjolras, but he still won't see you," Fantine said.
"Well, be sure he gets these flowers." Enjolras said, handing her some flowers.
"Week after week.
And after weeks of Sundays…" The offstage Ensemble sang
"Sending him off seemed a crime…" Fantine sang. She turned to Enojolras. "Would you like to come in for a while?"
"It was the music of something beginning."
Enjolras spied a piano set center stage. He walked over to it and tested it, playing a scale.
"Hmm. This piano is badly in need of a tuning."
"Yes, we've been bad about that." Fantine said.
"Do you know any coon songs?" Bahorel said. "Coon songs? What the h-"
La Epster cut him off with another glare as well as Enjolras.
"Coon songs are used in minstrel shows. They are performed by men in blackface. This is called 'Ragtime'."
Enjolras sat and "played". Soon Thenardier entered. Toussaint walked over to him. Thenardier looked very grisly and rough.
"G-get out of h-here! You d-don't belong h-here!" She yelled. Fantine and Gavroche came over to him.
"Father! You've returned!" Gavroche said rather unenthusiastically.
"Sw-sweet Mary… It's the m-master!" Toussaint gasped. She exited quickly.
As the scene went on, Thenardier found out about Grantaire, Enjolras and the baby and was not too thrilled. Fantine told him how disappointed in him she was and crossed away angrily as Marius entered. The tune Enjolras played began to change.
A/N: The next one will be two different love songs that Grantaire and Enjolras sing to each other. Anyway… Please review but no flames.