A day or so after arrival

[gardienne]

[Eponine, having settled a little bit, has eventually gotten round to opening her book. Having never had one all to herself before, she settles down to practise her writing, quite oblivious that her writing could be seen by everybody else.]

My name is Éponine.

My name is Éponine Jondrette.

The Little Match Girl. The Little Match Girl.

It is a strang thing to write on the book, but per haps they think it is me.

They giv me matches.

I do not want to sell matches.

I had a bisckit today.

I will find a sossige and musturd tumorrow.

Comments

[gardienne]

I can not beleve it, Sir. Such a thing does not happen, I do not think. I have never heard of a just king. except he is called that by the aristocrasy. perhaps that is why you like your king too?

[under_the_wire]

Had we a traditional aristocracy, I don't think they'd like him much. His father was a poor ex-soldier, driven to his death by a government that oppressed and exploited its citizens to maintain its military might. Suffering through that is what drove him to found his own country and rule it fairly. I won't say he doesn't make decisions I don't agree with at times, but they're never made at the expense of our people.

[And at times he's seen him agonize over those decisions.]

Our little country is a bit different from most, certainly very different from any in our world. Most of them are very much like what you speak of, some even worse.