A Promise

Chapter Four

        As Montparnasse and I strolled into the apartment, I was greeted by my little sister Azelma. At fourteen years old, she was two years younger than me, but she was much more beautiful. She looked radiant in the dull rags she wore. Her green eyes twinkled and her light brown hair was always neatly combed. She was a petite, delicate-looking child, the darling of both Mama and Papa. Everyone who met her loved her and doted on her. While my job was taking letters to "benefactors," Azelma's job was to stand out on the streets and look as pitiful as possible. She did not even have to ask people for money. The minute someone laid eyes on her, they practically flocked to her to give her money, food, and clothes. Mama dotingly called her " Ma Petite Dame," or "My Little Lady," while Papa called her "Fontaine de Richesses," or "Fountain of Riches." As for me, I was simply "Eponine." Sometimes I wondered if my parents even knew I existed.

        "Any news of Gavroche, Emile, or Gustave?" I asked Azelma, lowering my voice. A week ago, my three little brothers had disappeared from the house. Papa so far had not noticed, or maybe he simply did not care. Mama had celebrated that she had three less mouths to feed. Azelma and I had been trying to find them, not to bring them back home, but to make sure they were all right. So far, there had been no sign of them.

        Azelma smiled. "'Parnasse found them!" she announced happily. I whipped my head around to my fiance. "Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded. Montparnasse shrugged.

        "I wanted it to be a surprise," he told me.

        "Well, where are they?"

        "You know that big statue of an elephant in the middle of the square?" Montparnasse asked. I nodded. "Well, clever little Gavroche discovered that it is hollow, and the three of them have been living inside the elephant."

        "And are they all right? Do they have food and water?"

        "They're fine," Montparnasse assured me. Then, he turned to Azelma. "So how much money did you make today, Ma Petite Dame?"

        "Only Mama is allowed to call me that!" Azelma snapped.

        "Fontaine de Richesses?" Montparnasse suggested.

        Azelma sighed. "You know perfectly well that only Papa can call me that."

        "Fine, 'Zelma. How much money did you make?"

        Azelma grinned. "Twenty-five francs," she said excitedly. At that moment, Mama and Papa walked into the room.

        "Twenty-five francs?" Mama exclaimed. "That's my girl! That's Ma Petite Dame!" She gave Azelma a big hug and a wet kiss on the cheek.

        "Let me see the money," Papa demanded. Azelma threw him a sack of coins. Papa examined it, then smiled. "Very good, Fontaine de Richesses. I think you've earned yourself a new pair of shoes."

        Azelma squealed in delight. "Oh, thank you, Papa!" she said happily, throwing her arms around his neck.

        "And what about you, Eponine?" Papa asked, glaring at me with beady black eyes. "How much did you make?"

        I grinned and pulled the purse out of my pocket. Casually, I tossed purse in the air and caught it. The coins jingled together. "Oh, just a mere fifty francs," I said proudly. Montparnasse gave me an encouraging smile. "Can I get a pair of shoes, too?" I asked Papa.

        "Certainly not!" Papa replied, snatching the money away from me. "You're sixteen now, I expect a lot more money coming from you!"

        "What?" I asked in disbelief. "But Azelma only earned twenty-five!"