Part 21: Enchantments and Desolations With: Cosette, Marius

Scene 1

*It is a very calm night, Marius and Cosette are in Cosettes garden*
Marius: *very happy. Finds Cosette sad* What is the matter?
Cosette: *Sad* See.
*Cosette sits down on stone seat near stairs. Marius sits by her, trembling slightly*
Cosette: My father told me this morning to hold myself in readiness, that he had business, and
that perhaps we should go away.
*Marius visibly shudders and is speechless*
Cosette: *Concerned* What is the matter?
Marius: *quietly* I dont understand what you have said.
Cosette: This morning my father told me to arrange all my little affairs and to be ready, that he
would give me his clothes to pack, that he was obliged to take a journey, that we were going
away, that we must have a large trunk for me and a small one for him, to get all that ready
within a week from now, and that we should go perhaps to England.
Marius: But it is monstrous! *Then lowering his eyes*
Cosette: *smiling at Marius, excited* How stupid we are! Marius, I have an idea.
Marius: What
Cosette: Go if we go! I will tell you where we are! Come and join me where I am!
Marius: *loudly exclaiming* Go with you? are you mad? But it takes money, and I have none!
Go to England? Why I owe now, I dont know, more then ten louis to Courfeyrac, one of my
friends whom you do not know! Why I have an old hat which is not worth three francs, I have a
coat from which some buttons are gone from the front, my shirt is all torn, my elbows are out,
my boots let in the water; for six weeks I have not thought about it, and I have not told you
about it. Cosette! I am a miserable wretch. You only see me at night, and you give me your love;
if you should see me by day, you would give me a sou! Go to England? Ah! I have not the means
to pay for a passport!
Marius: *Throws himself towards and tree and leans against it in silence. After a while he hears
Cosette sobbing and goes to her. He takes her hand* Cosette, I have never given my word of
honor to anybody, because I stand in awe of my word of honor. I feel that my father is at my
side. Now, I give you my most sacred word of honor that, if you go away, I shall die.
*Cosette trembles and is so shocked she stops weeping*
Marius: Now listen, do not expect me tomorrow.
Cosette: Why not?
Marius: Do not expect me till the day after tomorrow!
Cosette: *still sad* Oh! why not?
Marius: You will see. It just occurred to me, you must know my address; something may
happen, we dont know; I live with that friend named Courfeyrac, Rue de la Verrerie, number
16 *continues to write address on plastering of the wall*
Cosette: *looking into Mariuss eyes* Tell me your idea. Marius, you have an idea. Tell me. Oh!
tell me, so that I may pass a good night!
Marius: My idea is this: that it is impossible that God should wish to separate us. Expect me
day after tomorrow.
*Scene turns black*
END SCENE