Memoirs of Les Amis de l'ABC

Chapter Fifteen: A Lovely Night

It was nearing dusk when Enjolras waited anxiously for Sybill Fauchelevent near the fountain where they oft had met in their youth. The same fountain where Sybill had found Gavroche. The same fountain where two days prior Courfeyrac had proposed a courtship to the girl which she had refused. The nervous man was pacing to and fro atop the fountain's ledge, watching his black boots as they sounded upon its stone edge. There was a certain chill to the air, and a breeze blew through the blue-eyed boy's bright, golden curls.

When Sybill Fauchelevent arrived on the scene, she could not help but smile at the man in the red coat who was pacing on the fountain in thought. Enjolras's eyes met hers in an instant without his even hearing her approach, and she watched as his face visibly lit up at the sight of her. "Good evening, monsieur," she smiled happily, stepping close to him.

Enjolras jumped down from his pacing to meet her on the cobblestone. "Good evening, mademoiselle," he chuckled. "How has your day been?"

"Quiet," Sybill shrugged. "Cosette and I cleaned house then did a bit of reading."

"What did you read?" questioned Enjolras, knowing fully well that it would be something he likely would have liked to read himself.

"Oh, Rights of Man by Thomas Paine," replied Sybill casually.

Enjolras shook his head slightly with a soft smile on his features. "If you keep reading Thomas Paine, then soon you'll figure you can write of revolution."

Sybill laughed aloud. "No, monsieur, I shall leave the writing to our dear friend Monsieur Amon Y. Mercier despite his writings not being about the revolution directly."

Enjolras nodded with a slight sigh as Sybill sat on the edge of the fountain. The boy stood before her. He tried to look at the cobblestones underfoot for a moment in order to ignore the thoughts he was having of the girl with the large green eyes and the dark green dress before him. He spotted a pair of dark brown boots from where her skirt was slightly lifted and chuckled upon remembering a younger girl with an affinity for manly garb.

"Monsieur Amon Y. Mercier has received an offer to be interviewed by General Lamarque," Enjolras announced.

Sybill nodded. "I heard. Courfeyrac showed me his newspaper with the advert written two afternoons ago." 

Upon hearing his dear friend's name mentioned, Enjolras's breath caught slightly and he started slowly pacing. He didn't show any sign of acknowledging his friend's name. Sybill swore there was a green look about him, but she could not fathom why. She had purposefully neglected to tell him of Courfeyrac's courtship proposal to avoid any possible jealousy on his part. That is, if he was capable of jealousy.

"Yes, I do hope he takes the old man up on the offer," Enjolras replied, pivoting the conversation.

"Yes," Sybill agreed, "though Courfeyrac and I both doubt he will."

Enjolras looked at her strangely. There was still the odd look about him at Courfeyrac's name though now it was covered by confusion. He stopped his pacing. "Why do you doubt he will host the interview? The man has praised the dear general several times over."

"Yes," Sybill agreed, "but an interview with the dear General would be incredibly risky. I imagine that our good writer will wish to remain secret."