The Ogress was gone for quite a long time. During her absence Thenardier thought he heard snatches of singing coming from the kitchen. Then again, he surmised, it could have been a crow.
"Quite the ugly crow, that," he muttered to himself, leaning against the rough wooden wall.
In the midst of the crowing, both the Ogress's and his own, a faint sound rose up from behind him. Thenardier picked up on it right away, as he had thief's ears, and pressed his right side against the coarse wood. He listened.
"Men,' Thenardier heard, only partially clear, "…imperative...France. …we are but…"
Just then, the Ogress turned into the front room carrying what looked like a feast. Thenardier whipped himself around and back into the chair. He was deathly curious about the strange voices, yes, but getting caught snooping would only get him cast out of the shop, forever in the dark.
The two girls –not girls, more women- following the Ogress set down their dishes and scurried away. Thenardier heard a door open, a cheer, and then a slam. No doubt they had entered the room of mysterious voices.
The remaining woman sat and began to eat as if she had never offered Thenardier any at all.
"Madame," began Thenardier, as cordially as it is possible for a hungry vagabond to be, "Do you hold private gatherings here?"
The Ogress let out a nervous snort, trying in vain to disguise it as a giggle. "Ain't got the room, m'sieur, nor the money."
Our crook had just opened his jaw to pursue the subject further when the sound of chatter and yelling pierced through the front room. In a second, it was gone.
A tow-headed young boy, looking even more like a beggar than Thenardier, peered out from behind a corner.
"'ey, missus, we be needin' more wine and I'll be damned if we got enough chairs."
The crone looked torn between scolding the young man for his cusses, or striking him for emerging from the mysterious room beyond.
She settled for a compromise and smacked the boy as hard as she could, while at the same time reproaching his word choice.
The boy merely rubbed his cheek. "If'n a little tap like that's supposed keep me from cussin', missus, then you're bloody mistaken!" He laughed, then, furthered the statement by adding a few auxiliary swears.
"You're gonna drive me to the devil and back again, Gavroche," hooted the Ogress, looking all the scarier in her mirth. "Now, you go on back next door and I'll see if I can't get you watchoo need."
"Ain't next door, me ol' crone," tittered the boy densely. "You forgotten the way down ya own back hall?"
Thenardier's ears burned. A secret gathering? What luck! Secrets could be sold, and trust could be bought.
The thief arose and felt the stinging gaze of the Ogress upon him. "I have a prior engagement, Madame," he said, as properly as he could. "Perhaps I will return."
With that, Thenardier placed up the tattered remains of an unfashionable hat upon his scheming head. He walked into the dusk and was gone.
The Ogress only sighed, staring at his empty chair. "Do come again!" She called out the window, desperately. "Come back to me!"
Thanks for reading, everyone! More one-sided goodness coming up soon, as I have a week off from school and nothing (not even homework) to do. Till then, see ya!