Les Miserables Revolution

Chapter 21

{Gabrielle}

I was suddenly hoping Gavroche wouldn't come into the room. The visitor strode in. His blue eyes looking at me menacingly. He didn't expect I'd be here. His navy blue uniform had different medals on it. Javert.

"You! You're Jean Valjean's daughter," he accused.

Gavroche, please don't come inside, I thought.

"Who is Jean Valjean, monsieur?" I asked. I was trying to play innocent. His cold, menacing eyes stared at me.

"Your name?" he asked. He was being rude, but that was standard for a policeman I suppose.

"Gabrielle," I reply.

"Last name?"

"I don't have one, monsieur," I say honestly.

"Gabrielle what's goin' on?" I heard Gavroche ask.

"Nothing Gav! Just stay there! I'll be there in a moment," I say. He's stubborn though and he comes into the room. He takes one look at the man and his eyes widen.

"Who is that?" he asks.

"Gavroche, he's a child I've been taking care of. He doesn't have any parents," I say.

"Get out of here kid," the man said. Gavroche looked up to me, frightened. I nodded. He walked back to Courfeyrac's and Marius's room. I tried to hop over to the table. Halfway there I almost fell and he caught me.

"Merci, monsieur," I said. I was grateful he had caught me, but did it have to be him? He helped me to get over and sit in a chair at the table.

"Are you alright?" he asked, suddenly concerned. He didn't seem as angry now, but there was still an edge to his voice.

"Yes monsieur. Thank you," I say politely.

"What do you know of Jean Valjean?" he asked. Lie.

"Well, I know you accuse me of being his daughter," I replied. I was nervous, but I think I lied convincingly enough.

"He's a convicted criminal. He's been on the run for many years," he said.

"If I may be so bold as to ask, what did he do monsieur?" I asked him carefully selecting my words.

"He's a thief," is all Javert says. I know the truth though. All he did was steal a loaf of bread. He was in prison nineteen years for that.

"You assume I'm his daughter?" I asked him.

"You are," he stated.

"Why do you think that, monsieur?" I asked him.

"I know," he said. He started walking towards the door. "Stay away from the funeral tomorrow."

I nodded and he walked out of the door.

"Gavroche," I say. "He's gone."

"Javert! That was Javert! What was he doin' here?" he asked hurriedly. He was clearly worried.

"He thinks I'm Jean Valjean's daughter," I say. No point in trying to fool Gavroche.

"You are, ain't you?" he asked.

"Yes," I whisper. It was barely audible.

Courfeyrac came in and saw us huddled around the table.

"Is everything alright?" he asked coming to join us at the table. He dropped the vegetables he had bought near the stove.

I've gotta come up with something. What could I say? I surely couldn't tell him that Javert had just come in here asking me questions about my father.