"Don't put your trust in revolutions. They always come round again. That's why they're called revolutions. People die, and nothing changes." - Terry Pratchett, Night Watch
A retelling of part of Les Miserables, from about 1828-1832.
Élise was born i...
"If you're wanting to talk to some of the poorest people, you might do well to visit there," he added. Having finished my sketch of him, I began to take notes on what he said. He peered over my arm, gazing at his picture.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
His family consisted of four, all living in the same room. His mother, his father, and two older sisters.
When he arrived, he was asked: "Where have you come from?"
He replied: "Off the streets."
When he went away, they asked him: "Where are you going?"
He replied: "Back to the streets."
His mother said to him: "Why did you come here?"
He did not seem to hold any blame towards them. He had no idea how a father and mother should be. Even so, he seemed aware that his mother loved his older sisters, and not him.
He seemed pleased with his picture, and asked if I could do another one, for him to keep. I obliged, and he continued his chattering. I tore out the page of the notebook for him, and asked: "Do you fancy something to eat? I'm going to find lunch - you're welcome to come."
And with a hot potato each bought from a street seller, and the payment of two sous for the interview and the picture, I formed something of a friendship with the young urchin.
*
That evening, I went across to the Café Musain, as was beginning to become custom for me, and settled down in a corner of the back room to have dinner and finish the piecework shirt for tomorrow. I couldn't help wondering whether Courfeyrac would bring Marius along - Courfeyrac was the type to make friends quickly, and had a degree of warmth that Enjolras, and to some degree Combeferre too, lacked.
On Enjolras's arrival, I caught him, and asked him to read through my notes on my conversation with Gavroche, to see what he made of them.
"Yes, I think it works well as a formula. To know their age, how they ended up in their present state, and what occupation they now find for themselves, if any, are certainly the most important parts. And letting their humanity shine through - that's important," he said. "Do you mind if I show Combeferre? He and Jehan know some of the printers better than I do. If I pay you five francs for each one - does that sound reasonable?"
I couldn't help but gape. Five francs for each one was far more than what I could make in a day from the shirt making. Combining the two would give me more money than I had seen in months. Before I could reply, he'd already swept across to the other side of the room, to Combeferre. After sitting there slightly stunned for a moment, I went over to join them. If the subject being discussed concerned work that I was undertaking, surely I ought to be part of the conversation!
"There is some advantage to the newspapers - Le Corsaire or La Tribune are both the sort to sympathise with our cause," Combeferre was saying. "But such papers are only read by those with the money to buy them, and they aren't cheap."
