Chapter 5- In Which Madame Thenardier leads a revolt and Enjolras' Car Gets trashed.
A/N: I am going to apologize if this chapter seems a little odd right now. I am currently suffering from a headache (hopefully brought on by the stress of AP testing and not from a tumor or aneurysm). I am going to skip around a bit in this chapter (as usual). Please review but no flames.
Madame Thenardier entered stage right and stood center as Valjean entered stage left with Azelma. Valjean began to act as if he was working at a loom.
"Comrades! I have just arrvived from Lawrence, Massachusetts, where I met an old friend of mine. He was a poet with scissors and paper but I could barely recognize him!" Madame Thenardier yelled.
"We are starving! There are worms in the scraps they feed us!" Valjean cried. "I will not bow down to these mill owners! I will dine on their coffins. My daughter will dance on their graves!"
"Fun!" Azelma said before she and Valjean exited. The immigrant ensemble entered, shouting to Madame Thenardier.
"But there is hope, comrades! Six weeks ago, the workers rose up against this tyranny! Italians! Poles! Russian Jews! All workers! Their starving! Their children are dying! But they are holding firm and we must support them!" Madame Thenardier yelled as the crowd yelled in approval. Marius entered and stood stage right.
"It was winter in New York
As the snow began to fall
And the workman's hall
Had not a seat to spare
When a young man ducked inside
Just to warm himself was all
The night that Goldman spoke
At union square!" Marius sang.
Backstage, Enjolras watched Grantaire still crying into his hands. He wanted to go over to him and hold him in his arms, but he also knew that he had a certain image he had to keep up. He looked out on the stage as Madam Thenardier "led" a "revolt". He smiled inwardly. Madame Thenerdier was almost as good at leading a rebellion as he was… almost. As the show progressed, Madame Thenardier was arrested, the scene changed to Lawrence, Massachusetts, and Valjean loded Azema onto a train to go to safety. Having second thoughts about leaving her alone, he ran to the train and jumped on board with her as the strikers retreated offstage with the police pursuing. Valjean held Azelma as the music for "Gliding" started. He then pulled out a flip book.
"See the silhouettes
It's a little book of silhouettes.
When you flip the pages they move
Look, how nice!
This is you on skates
Turning pretty figure eights
On the smooth cool ice…"
Enjolras walked over to Grantaire. He contemplated holding him. He began to sing along with Valjean.
"We are gliding
Gliding on a pond.
Close your eyes
Close your eyes
We are gliding
Gliding far beyond
Close your eyes
Close your eyes
Feel the wind
As you pirouette
Are you happy yet?
Are you happy yet..." Both sang, Enjolras absentmindedly, causing Grantaire to look up at him. He was really confused now.
As the song ended and Valjean began making money off of the flip books, Enjolras helped up Grantaire.
"We have to get ready for the next scene, Grantaire." He said as sternly as possible.
Grantaire looked down. Their hands were still clasped. Grantaire picked up the "baby" as they prepared to enter in the Model T.
They were both in it as Eponine watched them. She sighed. She wanted to be in that Model T with Grantaire. Joly was watching Eponine wanting to be in the Model T with her. He smiled imagining her in his arms.
The car drove on stage left as Combeferre entered stage right.
"And I say to you, Gentlemen, that every race or nation that has ever got upon its feet has done so through persecution…" Combeferre said. Javert, Babet, Brujon, and Montparnasse entered.
"Grantaire. Go down the road and wait."
"I'm not gonna leave you, 'Jolras."
"Do it, Grantaire."
Grantaire looked at Enjolras, got out of the car, and exited with the baby. Enjolras rolled down the window.
"Let me pass." He said.
"Gladly. That'll be twenty-five fran- er- dollars.This is a private toll road!" Javert sneered.
"What? Since when?"
Since La Epster doesn't feel like typing up racial slurs, she is going to skip what Javert said.
"Running away?" Javert sneered again as Enjolras got out of the car.
"I'm going to the police. If anyone touches my car while I'm gone, he'll answer to Enjolras."
"I am the police!" Javert yelled. La Epster glared at him. "I mean- Tell him Fire Chief Javert sends his regards!"
"We must exhibit patience." Combeferre said as Enjolras exited and the firemen destroyed his car. "Self-control. Forbearance. And dwell above hatred and acts of cruelty."
Combeferre exited as Enjolras and Grantaire reentered. Enjolras went into a damage assessment of the car, including mud splatter, a twenty inch tear in the top, slashed tired, broken windows, etc. etc.
"Come on, Enjolras… It doesn't matter…" Grantaire said.
"We'll see justice Grantaire
And plenty of men
Who will stand up
And give us our due…"
Lawyer after Lawyer turned him down. Soon, Fantine, Thenardier, and Marius entered.
"Justice Grantaire,
This is America."
"It's too bad that New Rochelle has been represented by this bunch of toughs!" Fantine sighed.
"I'll talk to my lawyer… Not Pontmercy-" Thenardier said.
"That's all it will be! Talk! Talk! TALK!" Marius said. "Hey!"
"The laws the law!
The law's been broken!
Why should I turn the other cheek?
What about justice?"
"The bureaucrats and bunglers
The attorneys who smiled.
The clerks and the officials
And the forms that were filed.
So many roads to justice
Around the bend
And every road a new dead end." The Harlem Ensemble sang from offstage.
Enjolras acted enraged, deeply not wanting to say what he was about to.
"I will not move from where I'm standing
Till what's mine is restored to me!
I'm not their fool
I'm not their nr!
I will have what's fairly owed me!
And till then, I will not marry!"
Enjolras exited angrily stage left as Marius and Thenardier exited stage right. Fantine walked over to the dejected Grantaire.
"We understand Enjolras' outrage. All decent people do." Fantine said, trying to be comforting but not helping all that much.
"He said
'Wheels are turning for us, R…" Grantaire said reflectively.
"But I'm sure we can settle this without canceling the wedding…" Fantine said, giving up her attempt to make him happy… He was on his own. Fantaine had to go sock Thenardier in the face for the comment he made earlier… Since it is for Matre audiences, I will not write it.
"He said
'Times are starting to roll."
Fantine took the baby from Grantaire and exited. Grantaire stood center.
"Well, I know he'll get where he wants to
'Cause he's got that fire in his soul
Said 'There's justice Grantaire
And plenty of men
Who will stand up and give us our due.
Well you'll have your due, 'Jolras.
Yes you'll have your due."
Backstage, Enjolras was sitting in his chair waiting to enter. Joly walked over to him.
"You do know what happens next, don't you?"
"No…"
Joly handed him the script Enjolras read it and gasped.
"No…" He said under his breath.
The scene changed to the Vice Presidential Campaign. A crowd entered as Marius stood stage left. The crowd stood stage right as the candidate (Someone vaguely recognizable as Fauchelevant) posed with Babet. Grantaire looked out into the audience.
"The Vice Presidential Candidtate was in town. The recent assassination of President Mckinley was a lesson to everyone. Security was tight. Guns were going off, everywhere." Marius said.
"I'll tell him:
President
I am coming to you on behalf
Of Marc Enjolras.
He don't know I'm here, he's much too proud
And I ain't much of a talker
But president, he need your help sir,
You're the only one.
'Cause 'Jolras
He won't marry me
Till this thing is done
And president,
We got a son!" Grantaire sang. He then turned towards the crowd. "President! President!"
"He's got a gun!" Babet yelled. Several police officers descended on Grantaire and "beat him to death". Grantaire tried to lift himself up but collapsed, "dead". Babet looked around. "I saw a gun…" He said as he and the whole crowd exited.
A/N: Next will be the last chapter of the First Act. Sorry it's so sad… But it'll look up next chapter… Please Review but no flames.