Lisette

Chapter 53 ~ Some Kind of Tearful Melodrama

The following day was one of those days that are delightfully warm in the sun, and so I took advantage of it to sit outside in the Luxembourg gardens with Musichetta, watching the world go past. As we sat with our work on our laps, our conversation skittered over different topics -Gavroche's burgeoning interest in medicine, the way people seemed increasingly dissatisfied with Charles X, who was going to the ball next week, the play she had been to see recently...

"I didn't really want to go and see it, but Bossuet insisted. So many people have written plays on the topic - about a man who is having to decide between his job, and his wife. But it surprisingly good, for all that some of the jokes were a bit crude. I think making it a comedy rather than some kind of tearful melodrama was the right decision."

"I shouldn't think it ought to be necessary to have to choose between one or the other," I said. "One's job should hardly have a say in one's family life. I know sometimes families - parents, especially - try to have too much say in who one falls in love with. But even then, provided the person isn't hideously objectionable - " 

"And even if they are objectionable, if you're the one in love with them, it's impossible to see what everyone else sees," Musichetta broke in.

"There is that." 

Looking up, I spotted Marius walking in our direction. He didn't appear to have spotted us - in his somewhat day-dreamy way, he seemed to just be wandering through the gardens without any particular intention or direction. As he got closer, I ran through several ideas in my head of how to attract his attention, eventually settling on the very boring option of just calling out his name as he came past us. Turning back in surprise on hearing his name, he seemed almost not to register us initially, before coming over. It was odd seeing him somewhere outside of Monsieur Mabeuf's.

"You can sit with us if you like," I said, after we'd exchanged a few pleasantries. "We're not going anywhere anytime soon." 

He sat, awkwardly, more tongue-tied here than he ever was usually. I tried turning the conversation to the subject of the ball at Sceaux - something that all three of us had in common (or so I thought) - but after some more stilted conversation, Marius explained that he wasn't planning on going this year, for all that last year had been very pleasant. Apart from anything else, his clothes were in ever more disrepair, and he doubted that even my best efforts would save them, let alone make them presentable enough for an event like this. It wasn't much longer before he made his excuses and continued on his way. 

"I remember him at the ball last year," Musichetta said. "I know he's a student, like the others, but I haven't seen him around as much."

"He doesn't get along with all of the others," I said, not certain of quite how to explain the situation.

"Meaning?" she asked.

I sighed. 

"He and Enjolras have... differing views when it comes to certain things." 

"Specifically?"

"Bonaparte, mainly. Marius feels very strongly on the matter. Well, they both do. But I think Marius feels more strongly because of his father, and his grandfather." 

The rest of the afternoon turned into an explanation (insofar as I could remember everything) of Marius's upbringing and his complicated relationship with his grandfather. Musichetta commented that it would make a far better melodrama than some of the things she'd seen on stage recently.

As the working day drew to a close, the number of people walking through the gardens increased, and Claudine joined us.  Near the fountain where we were sat wasn't on the way to or from anywhere, which meant it was clearer of people, and Claudine dragged us both up to practise some of the dance steps with her, in anticipation of the ball. As we circled around, I couldn't help but ask, for all that I knew I shouldn't: