After dreaming sweetly, Javert awoke to the sound of a harsh knock on his door. He quickly donned his robe and answered the door. There one of the messengers stood with a frantic look on his face.
"What is it?" Javert asked with a grim tired look.
"I'm sorry to interupt your sleep M. Javert, but the warden requests your presence at your earliest convenience." Javert gave a nod of acknowledgement and dressed quickly.
Javert arrived punctually at the warden's office and was invited in with a huge grin.
"Ahh, Javert," began the warden, a plump man with a stern look and cruel hart "sit!" Javert was always the warden's favorite, though he also liked Jacques because he carried youth with him and that was what the warden needed. "Jacques escaped last night." He said and noticed that Javert gave a start. He was worried about Mlle. Dubois and wanted to run to her home to check on her. His heart raced at the thought of Jacques entering her home with her lying peacefully in bed. He shook these thoughts out of his head and listened to what the warden had to say. "He was awakend when you brought him in, but the boys didn't know that they were supposed to lock him up, because Jacques told them that it was one big joke. They let him go while you were in your office filing your report. They just told me this morning, I'd thought that you would like to know immediatly. I'm sorry, but you will need to guard this mademoiselle that he attacked last night. After reading your report, it seems that you would be the one to guard her since you know her so well..." Javert raised both eyebrows at this comment.
"Sir, she is simply an acquaintance. I do not know her beyond that. I just met her yesterday!" The warden gave a knowing smile.
"Sure, Javert, I know that." He winked at Javert who gave a disgusted snort at him. "Well, you will know her soon enough. As long as Jacques is out there, she is in danger of another attack. Believe me, I know Jacques, he wasn't one to give up quickly. I want you to report back to me as you see fit. I trust you Javert, and that is why I am giving you a long lead on this. I merely ask that you report your progress to me." Javert nodded, satisfied with his duty and rose to leave. "Ohh...I almost forgot!" The warden said with an evil grin. "This thing between that girl and Jacques has police taking the blame for many things, so I want you to shut her up...make her forget this ever happend..." Javert looked confused.
"How?" He asked having no expireince with girls.
"Well, you could bring her flowers, act like you really like her! You're a handsome man, Javert, cort her!" The warden demanded. Javert gave a start of surprise. "I want you to take her to a nice diner, show her a good time, take her to your bed if needs be..." Javert gasped in astonishment. "Well...Mme. Curieux said you were in her room last night!" The warden said with a youthful wink at Javert who protested.
"Sir, please I can explain all of that..." The warden gave a wave of his hand, as his smile never faded.
"You don't need to, Javert, I have children of my own, I know how it happens." Javert just sat there red in the face. "Whatever funding you need, please tell me. Now, go and don't come back until your first child is born!" The warden leaned back in his chair and waited a couple of minutes. "Okay, Jacques, it's clear." Jacques came out from behind the door and sat down on the warden's desk.
"Thanks for getting me out, dad." Jacques had a fresh pair of clothes on and a nice bandage where Javert had slammed him into the wall.
"You must be more careful. Javert is no idiot and he'll catch you soon!" The warden handed Jacques some nicely diced tobacco.
"Yeah, I know...I hate him!" Jacques snarled as inhaled a couple of pinches. "But, you see I have this plan. I'll just lay low with mom for a week or two and then when that putain isn't looking I'll snatch her up and take her to Italy. No one will ever know and I'll be able to screw her at my leasure!" He winked at his old man who just sat there with a smile on his face. "I just hope she doesn't speak Italien!" He laughed while inhailing some more.
"Yeah, just tell me when and I'll send Javert off to do something in the woods that day...or we'll make it into an overnight thing!" The warden looked out his window and watched Javert as he headed to her home in a quickened pace.
"Hey, papa, have you seen her...she's got a pair like I've never seen!" Jacques grabbed his crotch to satisfy the urge.
"Yeah, I stopped in this morning...boy she is a flirt! She'll make you a hell-of-a wife!" The warden smiled and pat his son on the back.
"She fiesty, but that's the way I like 'em! One question. How will you keep Javert off of her trail...you know he's falling for her!" The warden gave his son a knowing look. A look that said he knew how to play the game.
"I have a spy who will tell me all about our little grisette. Especially when Javert will begin an acute interest in her. She will tell our little putain of a secret and then she will hate him. They will begin to fight and I will then send him camping for a few days. When he returns she will be gone and our little spy will tell him of how she just couldn't stand him anymore. He won't pursue it and you will be home free." The warden inhaled many pinches of snuff, proud of his ingenius plan. Jacques smiled, he knew it would only be a few weeks until he would have Mlle. Dubois and Javert would know nothing of their entire skeme.
"Excellent, I'm glad I got my brains from you! Just tell me please....who is our spy?" Jacques leaned closer with an evil grin. The warden leaned closer to him with an equally evil grin.
"Our spy, my dear boy is..."
Mlle. Dubois awoke early that same morning. She shivered having only a sheet to cover her and looked up to see the concerned face of Mme. Curieux.
"Oh, good, deary, you're awake! I was wondering when you'd be up and just then you woke." Her sweet old voice was both calming and yet so annoying to Mlle. Dubois.
"What happend?" She asked rubbing her head which throbbed with intense pain.
"You don't remember, oh heavens me! I had to clean your wounds last night. You must have really set off that man to make him hurt you so! Personnally, I think that Javert should be behind bars..." At that dark name, Javert, Mlle. Dubois' memory came flooding back.
"Oh, no, Mme. Curieux, you have it all wrong! Jaques was the one who harmed me...Javert was my savior!" The old woman's face turned into a bright smile.
"Javert saved you?" The young girl nodded with a smile on her face. "He's always kept to himself, you know? This is the first time he's ever shown interest in a girl! And might I say he has chosen a worthy companion!" She lied with a smile and added 'though it'll never work out because you are too damn stuborn!' she thought.
"Thank you. I think we'll be good together, though he does not seem interested at all." she then thought, 'except for last night when he caught that glimps of my....oh! don't think about that!' She smiled remembering his kind, and yet cruel face. She stared at the old woman whose smile faded quickly into a stern lecturing look.
"He was in here last night. You should never allow a man into your residence with out either a wedding ring, or a champeroen! Believe me I sent him out of here quickly, my dear." She punctuated the last few words with a shake of the finger aimed directly at Mlle. Dubois.
"Well, I do appriciate it....Oh, also I made enough in tips last night to cover the rent, so I shall have that to you by the end of the day!" She grinned in satisfaction that she had earned her share.
"And how did you do that?" Mme. Curieux asked with growing superstition. "You are a young girl...and very pretty. I imagine that you are making your rent by sleeping around." The young girl drew back with shock and clutched to the sheets of her bed to keep from slugging the old woman. "I know what you young grisettes are like. You sleep around to pay off your rent because you can't do it honestly and that's what's ruining this town. You pick up any sailor that docks here! I bet you were beaten because you said no!" She had had all she could stand. She jumped out of bed and ran to her water basin. She quickly splashed some icy water on her face which calmed her down. Her head throbbed in pain, but not as much as her heart. Ever since she was a little girl she had wanted to be a respectable rich woman. She now realized that she would never be rich, but she at least wanted respect.
"Dear, sweet, Mme. Curieux," she began, turning to the old woman who still sat on her bedside. "I know that you don't hold me in high regards, but I would never do such a thing, and I would wish you never to even suggest it again! Now thank you and goodbye!" Mme. Curieux, startled by the young grisette turned to leave, but then stopped and added.
"If I do ever find that you have lied to me, you will be on the streets." She said with a hiss, and then left Mlle. Dubois to get dressed. She quickly dressed and sped to Chez Pierre. She was to meet Pierre that morning to discuss how the first day went. She looked around her and enjoyed this small town. It was quaint, yet modern being a docking point for most ships. She frowned as she remembered where she used to live. A desolate dirty little town which offered nothing to her. She had fallen in with some dishonest Gypsies and acquired a hatred for them. Pierre had met her while the camp was stopped at a small town that was used as a frequent resting place. One of the Gypsy boys had tried to get her into his wagon, but she refused and was beaten for it. As she stumbled into town Pierre grabbed her and treated her wounds. She told him that she would be glad to work for him since he showed her so much kindness which worked out for him as well. Pierre's wife had just recently died, and leaving no children he was looking for someone to help with his new cafe. She thought she was finally getting a break in life and then this had to happen.
When she entered the cafe she quickly looked around. There were about seven people in there and Pierre stood behind the counter gathering change. She smiled, Javert had truely brought in business. She walked over to Pierre. Who looked up, and just barely recognized her, for she was wearing a beautiful silk scarf across her face. He looked surprised, but then when he recognized her he grabbed a quick hold of her arm and tossed her into the back room. She gave a grunt when she hit the wall.
"Pierre, what did I..." He turned on her furosiously. Pierre stood around six foot seven, with broad shoulders and brown hair covering his entire body, while patching into a beard and mustache on his face. His brown eyes glowed with anger.
"What's wrong?" He yelled violently. "You little BITCH! I leave you here to mind the shop for just one day and you steal all the money and leave the door open!!!!" She dropped her mouth in surprise.
"No, Pierre, I would never...just let me explain!" she pleaded.
"No you may not! I know how your type is. I should have never picked you up from that horrid little place where you lived. Why did I ever trust you? You Gypsies are all alike! You just steal money and fuck every man you can to earn some extra!" She began crying and just looked away. "Look at me!" He went to grab her hair, but missed and ripped off her scarf. His eyes opened and his mouth dropped in surprise. She herself had only noticed it that morning. When she looked into the mirror she had given a start. She was pushed onto a cracked bottle last night which left a deep cut along her cheek, but then crossed over her lips and stopped on her chin. Pierre just stared in shock and worry. She took this moment of silence to explain.
"Pierre, I was robbed by a flic named Jacques last night. He came close to dishonouring me, but another policeman named M. Javert saved me. He took me home last night. I barely remember anything." Pierre dropped the scarf and just stared. He couldn't believe that her beautiful face was dishonored in such a way. He then blinked and came even closer to her.
"Mademoiselle, I am sorry this ever happend. From now on I shall hire a man to work with you, so that this will never happen again! Where is this Jacques?" She smiled triumphantly remembering how Javert knocked him unconscious after he had tried to hurt her.
"M. Javert has seen to it that he is in prison!" Pierre nodded acknowledging what she said.
"I want you to work back here during the night. You may help out front if you feel you can, but know that I will always be here for you!" She nodded smiling and followed Pierre out. She wanted to hide her face because she heard all the gasps that came from the people who she greeted regarding her scar. She began to cry hearing the people whispered and point at her scar. She went into the back and let her hair down from the bun. She fluffed it forward so as to hide her face. It fell to only half of her cheek, but the scar across her lips was never going to be concealable. She wondered if Javert could ever love her now. She looked down at her plain dress while she touched the scar. This town was the worst thing that had ever happend to her. She hoped that no more harm would come to her and wished that she could move away again. She thought back to what Pierre had said. Since all the money was stolen she wouldn't have the rent and she would have a lot of explaining to do to Mme. Curieux. She took a seat on the floor and began crying. She never realized just how miserable life was.