La Souffrance

Book One: Many Deaths

IV
Money

How he would get the money to pay the hospital bill, Marius hadn't considered. He had just left his family to join his friends in protest. This thought suddenly crossed his mind as he saw his grand father riding through town in a pitch black carriage.

"Grandfather!" Marius ran to the carriage. Monsieur Gillenormand stuck his head out the window.

"Monsieur?" The driver asked.

"Keep going. It's nobody important," Marius's grandfather ordered. The carriage kept going.

"Oh bloody hell!" Marius jogged after his grandfather. "Grandfather! Please!"

"Fine. Stop the carriage please! Monsieur Gillenormand yelled. The carriage stopped. Marius caught up to his grandfather.

"Grand-" Marius was interrupted.

"What is it?" His grandfather asked.

"I was wondering if I could borrow some money."

"Good day," Monsieur Gillenormand said.

"No no! Please, listen. Éponine is in the hospital."

"Oh how sad."

"Please! I am going to pay her bill!"

"You wanted. Join the poor."

"Only because -"

"You can go live like them."

"I will pay you back!"

"Sure, sure. You say that now."

"Yes, I do."

"I'm sorry, but no."

"Damn you! She's a poor innocent girl who was shot!"

"Damn me? You have embarrassed our whole family! And she's a Thénardier. None of them are innocent."

"That's not true..."

"Farewell," Marius's grandfather ordered the carriage to keep going.

Marius decided to check on his friends at the barricade. When he arrived, the first was over. Many were dead. Including he friends Enjolras and Grantaire. Marius shook his head sadly. At least they died fighting, he thought. Marius sat down behind the barricade. He looked up at the sky and wondered how he would get the money he needed. Perhaps he would steal it.