They went on walking and Joly saw someone up ahead.
"Wait here, Nance." Joly jogged over to a man with curly blonde hair and a red coat on. Eponine waited, for she was extremely patient. She was looking around when her eye caught Marius again. He had three books under his arm. Eponine nearly did a 360 degree turn when someone knocked into her. Eponine found herself falling, but before her head could hit the hard gravel, someone caught her. Eponine looked up to see a man with gingerish-red hair and long sideburns holding her around the waist. He had piercing green eyes. The man rightened her, "I'm terribly sorry. I meant no harm. I was simply in a hurry." The man told her, as he apologized profusely. Eponine nodded, still in a trance at the man's handsome features. She then looked down to see an ivory flute on the ground. She bent down gracefully and picked it up. it was cracked and had a large hole in it.
"Oh, Monsieur, I've broken your instrument." Eponine felt near tears. She knew when she had stepped back when she was falling something had cracked underneath her heeled shoe. The man slightly laughed and replied, "No, no, it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been so careless."
"Jehan!" Joly called out. The blonde haired man followed.
"This is my sister Nancy." Joly told him. Jehan stared into Eponine's eyes.
"Nancy." Jehan murmured.
Eponine watched as Joly and Jehan exchanged a handshake. But Eponine was paying attention this time and saw Jehan slip Joly something when they shook. It was something in a small cloth sack. They talked for a spell, and then left. On the way back, Eponine didn't say a word about what she saw, but was determined to find out on her own. While they were on the streets, they didn't see the eyes watching them. Two pairs, to be exact. One was the young woman who young Marius had been staring at. 'It couldn't be!' The young woman thought to herself. Cosette was the young woman's name. She had once knew Eponine when she was a child. She was treated cruelly by Eponine, her sister and her parents, before her Papa had come and rescued her. But when Cosette had passed Eponine once again, she had heard the man say "Nancy". Though she thought it was Eponine, there were many more differences than similarities. Such as Eponine's clothing, her hair, her body, her body language and the way she held her head high. It just can't be. The other set of eyes was Azelma's. No matter how fancily Eponine dressed or how proper she acted, Azelma would always know her sister. But her parents certainly wouldn't. That showed much she had changed and how much they didn't pay attention to her. Half of Azelma wanted to tell and half of her wanted to keep the information to herself. Azelma watched as the man named Joly whispered something in Eponine's ear and Eponine let out a merry soft laugh. She looked so happy. Azelma bit down on her lip so hard that she accidentally drew blood. She darted down another alley to watch what happened. She watched them go to a restaurant. By this time, Azelma was done watching her sister living so happily. She left in anger, hurt and sadness.
After eating lunch, Joly and Eponine then went to the Cafe Musain. Enjolras, Jehan and Feuilly were there.
"That's Combeferre, with the book. That's Courfeyrac sitting next to him. Lesgles is my good friend, the bald chap. Grantaire is the one in the corner with the bottle. He's a drunk. And that's Barhorel in the other corner." Joly told her. She ventured off as Joly, Jehan and Enjolras talked.
"Nancy!" Joly whispered loudly and ushered her to get away from Grantaire. She had been beside him trying get to the bottle out of his grasp before it spilled. But apparently, despite being drunk, Grantaire had a death grip on it. Eponine immediately scurried away to Joly's side. Eponine lifted her eyes to Jehan, and found him watching and smiling at her softy instead of paying attention to what Joly and Enjolras were talking about. Eponine blushed and looked down at her feet. After their short conversation, Joly and Enjolras shook hands, and Eponine spied another parcel that Enjolras slipped Joly. She did her best not to huff. She wanted to know what Joly was getting. After that, they went on home to have dinner. That night, after Eponine was bathed, she crawled into bed and prayed before blowing out the candle. Though she was still guessing what Joly's parcels were, she was so exhausted from the day that she fell asleep in mere minutes.
Meanwhile, Azelma walked slowly back to the alley where the gang stayed. It was about to rain. She peeked around the corner to see no one but Montparnasse and Babet there. But Babet was obviously drunk and he had hurled and passed out cold. Mont was puffing his pipe. His breaths were short and quick, very unlike him.
"Azelma, you stupid girl, where 'ave you been?" Mont stuff his pipe. Azelma felt her heart beat quicker. She didn't know if she should be mad at Montparnasse for calling her stupid or happy that he even noticed her.
"Looking for Eponine, you bastard." Azelma muttered. Mont stood abruptly and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Did you find her? Is she alright?" Mont shook Azelma, fiercely. Azelma licked her lips. They were so close. His face was inches away from hers. For the last five or so hours Azelma had been practicing her lines. Somehow she made herself cry. Tears trickled down her checks. She took a deep breathe.
"I found Eponine." Azelma whispered. Mont tightened his grip on Azelma's shoulders, "Well? Where is she?"
"She's dead." Azelma cried even more, "I was in the alley where we meet for the late night meetings and I saw her. She was bloody and thin as a rail. I saw two men inspecting her body. They picked her up and when they brought her past me, I saw her face. Someone had had their way with her and she must have fought, because she was bloody, injured and there was blood all over her hair. I followed them to a large field where they bury the people in unmarked graves. And I watched them place her in a hole, say a prayer, cross themselves before burying her. I'm so sorry." Azelma ducked to wipe her tears. She felt Montparnasse release his hold on her. He turned away from her and steadied himself with one hand on the wall. He dropped his pipe on the ground.
"So this is it. Eponine is really dead." Montparnasse spoke aloud. Azelma watched his shoulders rise and then fall. And then she saw something she had never seen before. Montparnasse shook with sobs.
"Oh God!" He cried out in despair and fell to his knees. Azelma nimbly went to be in front of him. She was a bit scared that he might be so mad and sad that he might attack her, but she took her chances. She watched Montparnasse reach inside his overcoat and she saw a sparkling gold band, obviously pick-pocketed, in between his fingers. He was going to propose? Azelma tried not to scream with anger and jealousy.
"She's gone. She's really gone." Montparnasse wept. Azelma knelt down on her knees. In a bold attempt, she took Montparnasse's face in her hand and replied, "You have me". Montparnasse looked and replied, "Show me to her grave." Azelma and Montparnasse hurried to a random field that Azelma knew. She saw a freshly covered hole and took him over to it. The man had stopped on the way to swindle some flowers. He clutched a bundle of wildflowers with lace and ribbon, which he had also swindled from a sewing shop.
"Here it is." Azelma told him. Montparnasse knelt down and placed the flowers on the grave.
"I love you, Eponine. I always have. May you rest in peace. May God, if there is one, spare you and have mercy. You were not but a child. Rest in peace, my angel, my princess." Azelma tried not to let his words get to her. She was jealous of Eponine for being his love. But there was also a feeling of guilt. The poor man was professing his love to an unknown corpse. But Azelma pushed it aside. That night Azelma told the gang and her father when they got back.
"Well then, Azelma. It looks as if you have to stand in Eponine's spot now. You have more responsibilities now." Thenardier told her. Azelma licked her lips and nodded. "Tomorrow your real work begins." Thenardier walked off with the gang. Montparnasse sat with his pipe, puffing. Azelma tried not to smile. After his last words to his "dead love", he had given Azelma the ring and a kiss. The young girl felt as if she had gone to Heaven. But she couldn't get rid of the guilt inside her heart. But she forced it back, feeling that she had come too far to back out now. There was no turning back.
On that same night after Eponine had long fallen asleep, Joly emptied the parcels that Enjolras, Feuilly and Jehan had given him. Inside of Feuilly's was ammunition, inside of Jehan's was a message and inside of Enjolras' was a whistle. Joly then saw that the packaging of the parcels was also a stamp split in three pieces. Joly arranged them in order and read it over. No one knew yet, but Joly and the Les Amis were thoroughly planning out a revolution. Against the King who didn't care about the beggars or the poor folk. Unlike General Lamarque who cared deeply for the people. But he had fallen ill about a week ago. Now was the time for the people to rise. Their hero, the only man who cared for the people was dying now. Joly turned look at the closed door of Eponine's bedroom. He suddenly felt tears clog his throat. The thought of leaving Eponine clouded his mind. What would happen to her if he possibly never came back from the revolution? What would happen if none of the Les Amis made it out alive? Eponine would have absolutely no one to turn to. But Joly couldn't back down from the revolution. He just couldn't. He had a duty to his country and to the people whom he adored and cared for. To give them and even Eponine a better life. To give them freedom. Joly then went to the bookshelf and pulled out some volumes at the bottom shelf. He then took a knife and pried the hidden loose piece of wood out. He had his money, heirlooms and everything for the revolution there. He had cartridges and ammunition stored up. Joly placed the new things inside the hiding spot and replaced everything, before bathing and going to bed.
The next day when Eponine woke up, she found the apartment to be very quiet and no smell of Joly's pipe. She stood and put on her dressing gown, before investigating. Joly was gone, but there was a plate of still warm food and a note. It read: Nancy, there was an emergency at the hospital and I must go to help. Jehan will be arriving at ten o'clock to take you out to town. Be safe and stay with Jehan at all times. - Joly Eponine looked at the clock. It was nine-forty. Eponine raced to her room and donned in a yellow dress with her hair in a plain bun with tendrils framing her face. She brought out her hat and her shoes, before grabbing her lavender fan. She gobbled up the food, and had brushed her teeth when a knock came on the door. Eponine wasn't sure if it was Jehan and she was still hesitant to open the door without Joly at home. She stared at the door and saw a piece of paper slip under. She picked it up. "The moon shines, the sun blinds, but you will always be star in the sky, shining so bright, so join me for a day and perhaps a night" Eponine smiled and opened the door. Jehan stood there and held out a bundle of yellow roses. Eponine took them and noted how Jehan had gone out of his way to cut off all the thorns on them. Eponine put them in a vase with water, before leaving with Jehan. They went to the market and walked around. Jehan had purchased a parasol for Eponine (by Joly's request), before going to the river. Eponine was stunned when Jehan pulled out some coins and handed them to a man, before holding his hand out to her. She took his hand and he helped her into a rowboat. She sat down on the seat, holding her parasol, as Jehan jumped in across from her, before rolling up his sleeves to his elbows before taking the oars in his grasp. They rowed steadily, until they were in the middle of the river. Jehan placed the oars back in place and looked at Eponine.
"So Nancy, now how about you tell me your story?" Jehan asked, pulling out a new ivory flute. Eponine looked all around. No one was close enough to hear and only the 'lap, lap, lap' of the water was close enough to be heard. Eponine told Jehan her story.