Brick!Club 5.9.4 The Confrontation- with Thenadier
If I just don't blog on 5.9.2-3 can I pretend they didn't happen? Cause I"m just gonna go with that. So, I'm just going to ignore the Valjena sads for Marius and Thenadier .
So... 5.9.4 Thenadier confronting Marius.
I enjoyed this chapter as for all the moments of Marius why in this book and a few even in this chapter... it was nice to see him actually being a bit cool with his confronting Thenadier.
But from the begining- Thenadier comes in. Trying to be all charming and hey didn't I see you at this and such event? and Marius being No, never been there get the point, begin the beguine... don't you realize we're a protagonist short in this idyllic well produced scene... wait wrong musical.
And he does get Thenadier to finally to get to the point. (Though I do wonder why Marius in his having the note close enough to smell Thenadier tobacco didn't actually comprehend what he was seeing Or just know Thenadier's rep from the other notes you saw... he obviously wants money.)
This man has insinuated himself into your confidence, and almost into your family under a false name. I am about to tell you his real name. And to tell it to you for nothing."
"His name is Jean Valjean."
"I am going to tell you, equally for nothing, who he is."
"You know it since I have had the honor of telling you."
I love this bit though. We've had so few reasons to smile the last few chapters and to see Thenadier and his dramatic reveal being thwarted is lovely.
And then this lovely bit.
"I know your extraordinary secret, just as I knew Jean Valjean's name, just as I know your name."
"That is not difficult, Monsieur le Baron. I had the honor to write to you and to tell it to you. Thenard."
In danger the porcupine bristles up, the beetle feigns death, the old guard forms in a square; this man burst into laughter.
Then he flicked a grain of dust from the sleeve of his coat with a fillip.
"You are also Jondrette the workman, Fabantou the comedian, Genflot the poet, Don Alvares the Spaniard, and Mistress Balizard."
"And you kept a pot-house at Montfermeil."
"And I tell you that your name is Thenardier."
"And that you are a rascal. Here."
And Marius drew a bank-note from his pocket and flung it in his face.
I just love that Marius for a little bit gets the upper hand on Thenadier. Knows who he is and lays it all out smooth like.... then throws money in his face? I admit I don't get why Marius is throwing the money around? It just plays a weird contrast. Though there is a sense of I'm so done with you I shall fling this in your face so you may go away. Farewell! All Marius needs is to do a dramatic exit right then...
But he throws Thenadier for a brief loop which I quite like.
"Who was this almost beardless young man, who was so glacial and so generous, who knew people's names, who knew all their names, and who opened his purse to them, who bullied rascals like a judge, and who paid them like a dupe?"
That's what I'm wondering Thenadier
.On an unrelated note, I'm going with Marius's almost beard being a mustache...Mustachioed Marius should be a thing. Was that acceptable facial hair at the time?
Smart Thenadier; ix-nay on insulting the young ife-way's arantage-pay. as Hugo so elegantly put it... "the only result would be to attract the boot of the husband towards the loins of the revealer." (I would request a fan-fic where Thenadier is not so dull of discretion and Marius gives him that boot... is that too much to ask?
And then Marius gets disabused of his notions of Evil Valjean. Yay! Finally! (I do wonder why Marius never researched enough to find these articles.)
And Thenadier realizes that his wild card of but no your Father-In-Law murdered a young man! I saw him carrying a body! is lost as Marius lets him no... uhmmm that "dead" body was me! And only raises Marius's estimation of Valjean.
And then Marius throws more money around? Seriously why is this your solution to everything? But his dialogue with Thenadier is cool if you edit out the money bits.
"Ah! Jondrette Thenardier, vile rascal! Let this serve you as a lesson, you dealer in second-hand secrets, merchant of mysteries, rummager of the shadows, wretch!...get out of here! Waterloo protects you."
"Waterloo!" growled Thenardier, ...
"Yes, assassin! You there saved the life of a Colonel. . ."
"Of a General," said Thenardier, elevating his head.
"Of a Colonel!" repeated Marius in a rage. "I wouldn't give a ha'penny for a general. And you come here to commit infamies! I tell you that you have committed all crimes. Go! disappear! Only be happy, that is all that I desire. Ah! monster!... Go get yourself hung elsewhere!"
Then Marius rides off into the sunset to see Valjean with poor confused Cosette.