Chapter 12: The Songs of Angry Men
Various people lined the city streets that morning.
General Lamarque had died, giving the students a time for revolution.
Students, workers, the poor and the rich all stood together, flanked by soldiers and police.
The drum beats rolled off the sombre walls.
Eponine stood with the students. She'd sold the sapphire silk dress; although it was torn, it sold for a good price. With the money, she'd bought some work clothes.
She'd ditched her petticoats and corset but kept her chemise. The baggy, muddy trousers were secured at her waist by a belt. A long brown coat surrounded most of her body. A grey cap was pulled over her head, her dark curls stuffed into it. Dirt from the ground she'd slept on under the willow tree last night was still smeared on her cheek. She still wore her trusty black boots.
As the funeral approached, the students took their chance to sing to the rhythm of the drums.
"Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men? It is the music of the people who will not be slaves again. When the beating of your heart, echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes." Only a few students began at first.
Then Enjolras decided to do another brief speech, as everyones attention was captured.
"Will you join in my crusade, who will be strong and stand with me? Somewhere beyond the barricade, is there a world you long to see? Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free!"
A great deal of the people were moved by these words. The poor, the street rats and students surged forwards towards the grand coffin.
"Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!" The words formed on Eponine's lips along with everyone else's. She was starting to enjoy this.
This was something she could do away from Cosette. Like when Cosette had never dared to leave the convent.
She watched the students climb the large funeral carriage, Marius and Enjolras on the top, brandishing a red flag. Her hand rested on the side of the coffin as she walked on the ground, surrounded by strangers but only aware of Marius up there. As usual, he was oblivious to her gaze.
"Will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance, Some will fall and some will live, will you stand up and take a chance? The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of France!" The lyrics were natural to everybody. If Eponine still hadn't been entranced by Marius, she would have laughed a little in amusement at a young policeman tapping his foot to the rhythm, but she didn't notice.
"Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men! It is the music of the people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart, Echoes the beating of the drums," As national guard on horseback surged forward to halt the procession, the students words didn't falter, "There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!"
"HALT!" A wall of red and chesnut stopped the procession. Marius and Enjolras were the center of attention.
Marius drew out his pistol, staring back with a defiant fire Eponine had never seen before.
"DRAW!" The men on horseback drew their thin swords. Other blue-coated men crouched to the sides, unseen muskets aimed.
Until the sound of a bullet firing shattered the tension, causing indignant cries.
An elderly pauper woman who was stood just a few feet away from Eponine fell, her ragged shawl soaked in blood.
A student ran to investigate, then screamed at the man, "MURDERER! She's an innocent woman! Murderer!"
The student grabbed the national guard member and punched him before shooting him in the stomach. More gunshots fired and the men on horses surged forwards, knocking down people with their rapiers.
Marius used the post of the red flag to knock a man off his horse and jumped on the horse himself, urging it forwards while still holding the flag.
"To the barricades!" Another student yelled.
Eponine was already running after Marius.
Wood rained down onto the streets, splintering as it landed. Eponine dodged it as it fell, but helped other students haul it into a structure: the barricade.
"Here upon these stones, we will build our barricade! In the heart of the city, we claim as our own!" Enjolras spoke with a passion, his usual calm exterior gone. "Each man to his duty and don't be afraid." He lodged the red flag at the top of the barricade. "Wait! I will need a report on the strength of the foe."
Eponine wasn't really paying attention to the man who stepped forward. He seemed familiar, but she didn't care.
"I can find out the truth, I know their ways! Fought their wars, served my time. In the days, of my youth!"
That felt like it could have been important, but Eponine was in a numb daze. Everything felt surreal.
She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She turned, then found herself face-to-face with a young boy.
She studied his familiar features, trying to recognise who it was. A small nose, chapped lips, a dirt-covered face and weary brown eyes which held a spark of hope. He was dressed in a similar way to Eponine, in dirty brown work clothes and strands of hair falling out of a cap. Eponine looked again at his eyes, which were framed by long eyelashes. Her eyelashes.
"Marie-Anne?" She murmured. The girl gasped. "You were the kind girl from the street-what are you doing here?" The girl pulled the cap off, revealing dirty blonde hair that was cropped short. Eponine sighed. "It is a long story-where is your brother?" She changed the subject.
"I left him with a young couple I know. They get by with low-paid jobs, but wish for a child. They can't have one...I guess they'll look after him well." The girl sighed shakily, then looked back at Eponine. "I never found out your name, Miss." "My name is Eponine." She replied.
The students took up to more cries of chivalry.
"Now the people will fight." "And so they might."
"Dogs will bark."
"Fleas will bite." Eponine recognised Gavroche's voice saying this.
"They will do what is right." Marie-Anne said to Eponine.
"Hey little boy, what's this I see?" Somebody grabbed Eponine and turned her around.
Marius.
"God, Eponine-the things you do!" He held her firmly and his eyes were deep with concern.
"I know this is no place for me, still, I would rather be with you." Eponine found herself blurting out.
"Get out before the trouble starts. Get out, 'Ponine, you might get shot!" A sudden urgency was in Marius' voice.
Marie-Anne, who'd been watching unnoticed- and even Eponine- could detect the desperation in his face.
Eponine began to smile slightly. "I've got you worried now, I have! That shows you like me quite a lot."
"There is a way that you can help. You are the answer to a prayer! Please take this letter to Cosette!" He put a piece of paper in Eponine's hand, nodded at her, then walked away to join the students.
Eponine stepped after him, but he was gone.
Again.
"Little you know! Little...you care."
Marie-Anne timidly touched her arm to comfort her. She'd guessed everything.
"Ep, you don't have to." She said gently.
"Marie, I must. Cosette...it my sister." Eponine choked.
Marie-Anne grabbed her arm before she could leave.
"I'll take it, then. If I recognised you, she definitely will." Without waiting for Eponine's reply, Marie-Anne took the letter from her hand and left the barricade.