Aftermath

[farouche_bravoure]

Fantine has found the Library.

It's a bewildering place, for her, even a terrifying one. But she's found a nice quiet table with sunlight, and she sits with one of those small black boxes and the things on her ears, and she is listening to a lady with a soothing voice teaching her how to read better, and to write.

She's following along in a book, looking at the words with a frown. Some of these she already knows, but most she doesn't. It's very difficult, but there's time here, and she doesn't want to be ignorant and helpless. So she persists.

Still, after she's been doing it for a few hours, she takes off the ear-things and looks out the window, letting her gaze drift over the landscape.

Comments

[clayforthedevil]

Bahorel makes a noncommittal noise in acknowledgement; not in disagreement, exactly. But such a reason-- he can hear that, he can read it, but the mechanics of shame are always going to be a somewhat academic concept for Bahorel. And still--

"That might be; he's spent enough time with people trying to teach it to him , no doubt. But as far as I can tell-- and that's farther than anyone should have to bother about-- he owes no one anything except you and your daughter. So if you both excuse him, what else is there?"

Bahorel doesn't really expect Fantine to have an answer; he's just comfortable thinking out loud. But after all, she's likelier than anyone to have some insight into the whole mess; it happened in her life, not his.

[farouche_bravoure]

"Well, he feared Cosette wouldn't excuse him, that she would blame him!" Fantine shakes her head, still confused by how anyone could think that of her Cosette. "And then--there's everyone else, I suppose. He shouldn't pay them any mind, but--oh, it's hard not to, when everyone spits on you. I know it well enough! Perhaps he feels like that, too. It's hard to imagine, with him so strong and brave and good, but I can't think why else he would act like that. And if Javert threatened him, that might simply remind him of his past, it might make him feel all the more ashamed...though I still can't imagine it! Not M. Madeleine." It's one thing for she, Fantine, to feel like that, but this man, who's nearly an angel! "Oh, it makes no sense, but it must be what happened. I can't imagine who else could chase him from Cosette."

[clayforthedevil]

"Ah, the good respectable voices of society." Someday, possibly, the thought of it won't make him want to scream and break things! But not today. He looks away for a moment; he's not angry at Fantine. If he knew she was thinking of herself as second to anyone, his fists wouldn't unclench as soon and easily as they do.

But the people he wants to fight are in another world, and even when they weren't, so many of them do stay out of range--well, it's always a joke. He nearly laughs, and shakes his head.

"Ah-! I wish I could have a conversation with those good honest people. Never mind! I take your word for it! And if they can wear away at even you, I shouldn't wonder that they could get under anyone's skin." He's only speaking from a natural estimation of Fantine's own strength, not thinking of flattery, so he makes no attempt to hide the admiration in his voice as he says it. "And if you think that's it--The idea sounds right, it's true. Why else should he try to hide himself so suddenly, and after the wedding, if there weren't some new reason prompting him?" Bahorel nods, thinking; it doesn't seem like an entire fit, but it makes more sense than anything else he can think of.

"I don't have any better theories, certainly, no other clue I know about. --And if I hear anything else that seems to touch on the matter, you'll hear of it too." He smiles and offers his hand; shake on it?

[farouche_bravoure]

She shakes his hand with a smile of her own. "Oh, you're so kind! That would be very good. Otherwise I would only hear of things from my Cosette, and of course she's very honest, but there are secrets she doesn't know...and I don't wish to seek out Javert." She scowls. She wants to meet him and scratch his eyes out, just to know that she can. But she also wants to never see him again, to never think of him again.

Determinedly, she smiles. "I will be so grateful to hear anything you know."

[clayforthedevil]

He presses her hand back for a moment; deal, then! "She's a sensible girl. It's nothing against her if the men of her family don't know enough to rely on that yet; we'll all have to hold them to it, that's all." He's smiling as he says it, but: seriously, Marius and Valjean both need to be spoken to.

"One thing you should know-- and this isn't some rumor, this isn't from the book, it's the truth from my own friends, who were there, and saw it-- your Cosette's father acted so at the barricade that even Javert couldn't accuse him of much. He spared the spy's life; why, I don't know; but he saved many men before then, and harmed none; so that all that could be easily leveled against him would be a charge of aiding the wounded on the wrong side of the barricade, if the law wanted to be honest-- though when has it ever chosen that? But you should know, at least, in case he tries to turn his work there into one of the great crimes he seems to think he's committed. You're not one to be taken in by that line, but now you have the truth of it, to counter him, if you must."

That's an easy thing to share, the good deeds of a kind, if rather foolish and confused, man. There's other things that will be harder for her to consider, but this at least can't even be much of a surprise.

[farouche_bravoure]

"Oh! But I'm not surprised. He won't harm anyone, he will save everyone he can, that's his way." Fantine shakes her head. "Thank you--at least I will have that to confront him with, if he tries to be silly again!"

Fantine frowns. "Your friends were there? What barricade was this? The one you...died in?"

...she's not actually well up on what happened in 1832.

[clayforthedevil]

He nods. "That's right. All of us you've met here-- Joly, Feuilly--Jehan Prouvaire, he was the next to die after me--the same barricade. And Marius, who lived because of Cosette's father. There were others all over the city; ours was the only one exterminated as it was, but everyone had their losses." It's a serious matter, and so he can't help a quick smile. "Kings don't like it when people suggest they be retired, such an admirable love of their job!

He leans forward, serious now. "-- Listen, that's why I tell you this; you know Cosette's father is a good man, you don't need convincing. But he's a stubborn man, too, and careless like good men can be He wants to trust to to God to save him. Very well; a man may trust what he wants; I've no argument with that. But there's your daughter to think of, and she must trust him , and Marius."

"And if the King decides to prove his power over the survivors of the revolt, or if that fine Inspector decides to make things personal-- that's when men should trust in their friends, too. I tried to offer your Madeleine help, before; he wouldn't listen, kept insisting it wasn't needed. And Marius is young and proud; it makes a man careless, too. You have sense, and Cosette; if I tell you people Marius could talk to, friends who can help if help's needed, you'll know how to arrange things between you." These are important matters, but there's no immediate fear in his words. To Bahorel, this is the same sort of practical arrangement as setting up savings, or checking the wheels of a cart before starting a journey.

[farouche_bravoure]

"Oh! But that's very sensible. My Cosette should have friends she can turn to, if that rogue Javert comes after M.Madeleine, or after Marius. I think--"

Fantine frowns, disquieted. "I think she doesn't have many friends. At least she doesn't speak much of them. But then, she's newly married, and in love."

Though Fantine had been in love, and yet would not have been able to discuss her days without mentioning Favourite, or Dahlia, or Zéphine. And they hadn't even been very nice friends.

"I will give her any names you tell me." Bahorel seemed the sort to know strong, helpful types.

[clayforthedevil]

Bahorel gives Fantine a few names, and more information; nothing that could incriminate anyone, but people good to know, people who'll think well of the fighters of 1832. A survivor of the Chanvrerie barricade shouldn't need any further passcode than that.

"I 'll talk to her, too, if I see her--but you'll likely see her sooner, and there are surely things she'd rather discuss with you. Ah, and there's this--" he takes out his sketchbook and writes down three names, reading them off as he does so--respectable women's names, all of them.

"This is I don't mind being on paper. There's nothing very political about these ladies; they have their political ideas, but they could say hello to any officer without worrying. They're just respectable women, married, or widowed, with nice respectable friends, not a touch of scandal about them--but they weren't born Respectable, you understand, and they're understanding about new friends who don't have family names with titles in front going back before the Revolution. If Cosette wants to broaden her circles a little, she could arrange to visit them; tell them she heard of them through a friend from Lyon. They won't pry." And sometimes someone who won't pry is all a person wants for a while.

[farouche_bravoure]

"Oh!" Fantine understands, of course, about women who weren't born respectable but became so. She's known one who married her student. "That's good, very good. Some things M. Madeleine said...they made me fear the only people she knew were proud and cold."

She takes the paper from Bahorel. "Thank you."