Chapter 11: The Attack
Eponine woke up to the sound of angry voices in the street. She'd dozed off into a dreamless yet disturbed sleep. She looked towards the other side of the garden. Marius and Cosette were sleeping, Cosette's head on his shoulder.
As she tried to listen more closely to the voices, she heard part of a conversation: "...I smell profit here..."
She stood up, advancing towards the gate. She slipped between the bars. Then there came a ripping sound. Her dress had got caught and torn.
"Who is this hussey?" A rough hand grabbed her. Fear jolted into her as she recognised Monsieur Thenardier.
"It's your brat Eponine-don't you know your own kid? Why's she hanging about here?" A member of the gang seized her face and examined it, then let go with a force that made her stumble.
"Eponine, off ya go, ya silly little slut. Don't ya understand yer not wanted?" Her father snarled.
"I know this house, I tell you! There is nothing here for you...just the old man and...the girl, they live ordinary lives." Eponine held her ground, with her back pressed against the gate of her garden.
A few men scoffed. "The little slut speaks like a proper lady." One chuckled.
"Don't interfere, you got some gull, take care, young miss, ya've got a lot to say."
As they closed in, she began to panic. The gap in the bars that she used to slip out of was blocked by a beefy man who she didn't like her odds with.
"I'm gonna scream, I'm gonna warn them here!"
Thenardier put his face in front of hers. She could smell alcohol and tooth decay in his breath.
"One little scream and you'll regret it for a year!"
"You don't have control of me anymore, don't you tell me what to do." Her defiant gaze met his. Montparnasse then grabbed her by the hair and forced her to face the house, ready to smash her face into the gate.
She flicked her foot up and slammed the heel of her boot into his shin. As he stumbled back into the rest of the gang, she turned her head to them.
"I told you I'd do it, told you I'd do it..."
She screamed as loudly as she could, before feeling another hand in her hair. This time, she was turned to face her father.
"You wait my girl, you'll rue this night. I'll make you scream-" A bitter taste rose in her mouth. She spat the bitterness into his face.
"You'll scream alright." He vowed, throwing her to the floor. His gang scattered and vanished as Marius and Cosette came to the gate.
Marius slipped through the gap in the gate "It was your cry, sent them away! Once more 'Ponine, saving the day." He helped her up. Her arm tingled at his touch...before he let go and took Cosette's hand through the gate.
He didn't hear Cosette gasp slightly.
"Dearest Cosette, my friend 'Ponine-brought me to you, showed me the way, let's not be seen!" He kissed Cosette's hand, then he and Eponine stood against the wall for a moment.
Cosette stared at Eponine, her eyes questioning. At this moment, the innocence and ignorance in those eyes irritated Eponine. She dropped a slip of paper at Cosette's foot.
"Let's go." She heard Marius whisper.
With one last narrow of her eyes at Cosette, she and Marius left.
Sunlight streamed through the window onto the empty bed when Cosette's eyes opened.
Where was Eponine?
Then she felt the paper folded in her hand. She tried to move, but her head hurt. She groaned, as memories of the night before came.
The man. Marius.
Oh no. She thought. The wine made me love him...I don't.
She unfolded the letter, and although the words floated and blurred, she managed to decipher:
Dearest Papa and Cosette,
I am unsure when I'll be back.
I listened to talks of revolution, and agree with their ideas.
I shall be at the barricades of freedom that will fill the streets soon.
Yours Faithfully,
Eponine.
She gasped, and despite her headache, she hurried to show her father. He'd know what it meant, wouldn't he?
"Cosette-where's 'Ponine? Did you cry out last night? The neighbour told me he heard something-oh my, what's that?" Valjean took the letter, and gasped.
"It was 'Ponine-she was arguing with some men before she left." Cosette mumbled.
Eponine was part of the rebellion? Those men...it must have been a policeman, arresting her for it! What if it was Javert?
And barricades? That meant death.
Valjean knew they must leave. He'd rent a apartment for a few weeks, in case Eponine returned or until after the barricades in case she came home injured. Then they'd go to England.
Please, Dear God-Eponine, come home.