Elephants
Hi,
I promised to finish this very strange thing until chrismas. Now I am ready one month earlier (and I am normally a slow writer).
Sorry, if there are any mistakes in grammar, etc. It is the first time I have written a story in English. My native language is German.
Title: „The shadow of an elephant“
Author: Michelle Mercy
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none, because nobody do improper things with the elephant…
Pairings: J/JV, what else?
Summary: a lot of strange things happen because of an elephant in Paris on June 6th 1832
Author’s note: Dedicated to Shila and Wolfgang, who spent an evening with developing ideas much more strange than mine… I couldn’t use all of them, I’m sorry. But it’s still one of the strangest things I’ve ever wrote.
The shadow of an elephant
Enrico Guardiani, the director of the circus “Pont d’or” knew shortly after he awoke that it would become a very bad day, this 6th of June 1832. It war not only that terrible rain which went down on the city of Paris. There was too that message which he received before having breakfast. The circus’ famous elephant, which was the main attraction for the audience, vanished from his stable. It has to be mentioned that this elephant was not missed for the first time; it was now a dozen times the animal make an escape attempt. Eleven times Guardiani brought it back.
“I swear to you,” Guardiani said grimly to himself and to the absent elephant, “I will bring you back where you belong. And for this twelfth attempt you have to work another nineteen years for my circus.” Then the director was on his way to follow the fugitive.
XXX
Guardiani pursued the elephant to the centre of Paris. He realized that in the city a riot was prepared, but he has to bring back his elephant in the first place. He war not interested in politics, just in his circus. The elephant seemed to have an aim, like it would know where to go.
The elephant lead him near the rue de Chanvrerie. There the animal stopped and trumpeted loud and with a lot of passion.
XXX
“Listen,” Enjolras called, “the trumpet signal of the National Guard. They will start their attack. Hold yourself in readiness.”
“Ehem, I’m not sure that it was really a signal,” Coufreyac said. “It sounds more like a horn which must be tuned.”
“Perhaps the trumpeter is just practising?” Grantaire asked.
“I didn’t hear any signal,” Joly yelled. “Oh, my god, I become deaf.”
Valjean watched these strange students. What should he do? He could not leave Javert inside the tavern and risked that they would kill him.
The trumpet was really the signal for the attack. At least the National Guard started an attack. In reality they were even so surprised as the students and thought that it was the signal for the students to attack.
The fight began with an misunderstanding and ended - beside some deadly wounded victims - with the shot Valjean gave up to save Enjolras’ life.
“Do you think that I should have a reward?” Valjean wanted to know.
“Yes,” Enjolras replied.
“Than I ask for one.”
“What kind of reward? A trumpet?”
“No, not exactly,” Valjean answered irritated. “I thought that I could maybe have permission to crush that man’s skull.” He sounded a bit like a little boy who asked if he can take a puppy home.
Javert raised his head, looked to Valjean and said: “That would be just.”
Enjolras thought some seconds. Could he really give the policeman to this old man who would definitely kill him? Could he live with that on his conscience? It would be a murder in cold blood, as if he himself would press the trigger. Otherwise he owed the old man a reward for the rescue of his life. Why could not god just give him a sign what to do?
In this moment he saw behind Valjean’s back and the barricade an elephant which seemed to take a walk just for fun on this dangerous place. Okay, he asked for a sign but what kind of sign was an elephant in the middle of Paris?
“For god’s sake do what you want with that spy,” Enjolras decided. When there was really an elephant it would be better not to talk or even think about it.
Valjean went to Javert und stared at the policeman.
“Take your revenge,” Javert said.
Valjean took the little blade out of his pocket.
“A surin. You are right. That suits you better,” Javert continued and awaited to feel the knife between his rips.
Instead of being staggered Javert felt that the rope which bond him around the neck was cut. What devilish plan has the convict now? Before another thought the ties around his wrists were gone. He looked out of the small window to find an explanation for the strange Valjean’s strange behaviour.
“Did you see that?” Javert asked suddenly more than a little bit disturbed.
Valjean kneed in front of him and cut the ties around the legs. “No, I didn’t see anything.”
“There is an elephant running between the barricade and the lines of the National Guard,” Javert said.
“But everything else is okay with you?” Valjean asked concerned. Had the Inspector became insane during his arrest?
“Do you think I am mad, 24601? There is an elephant outside.”
“When you say there is an elephant outside I am sure that you see an elephant, but I am not completely sure that there is an elephant.”
“Look outside yourself, you bloody con.”
Valjean came to his feet and looked outside the small window. “I cannot see an elephant. I see only a guy running around like a madman who shouts ‘Come back, come back!’”
“He is chasing the elephant,” Javert said.
“Of course he does, M. l’Inspecteur.” Valjean’s voice was quiet; he hoped that he could calm down Javert this way.
“Stop that.”
“What?”
“Teasing me.”
“I would not dare to tease you.” Valjean smiled. “But you must confess you behave a little strange. Seeing elephants in the middle of Paris…”
“I saw one elephant, not elephants.”
“Sorry.” Valjean was silent for a few seconds. Then he stood upon his toes, lay his arms around Javert’s neck an kissed him on the lips.
For a short moment Javert was confused. He did not move but allowed the exploring tongue to find its way. Surprisingly the feeling was not unpleasant but very pleasing…
Pleasing? How could anything be pleasing when it came from a convict and part-time saint?
Javert pushed Valjean away and stared with a hostile glance to him. “Are you completely out of your mind?” Javert shouted. “What the hell was that?”
“Fine,” Valjean smiled again, “your reaction is almost normal, so it seems that you just see strange things but you don’t feel forced to do them.”
Javert did not reply but gave him a withering glance.
“You are free,” Valjean said.
“Free?” Javert asked. Could he ever be free of this crazy convict?
“I don’t expect to leave this place” Valjean went on. “Still, if by chance I should, I live, under the name of Fauchelevent, in the rue de l’Homme-Armé, number seven.”
Javert growled. “Take care.”
“Go,” Valjean answered.
“You said Fauchelephant?” Javert asked.
“Your thoughts seem at the moment ab bit… single tracked, I’m afraid. The name is Fauchelevent,” Valjean repeated.
Javert began to be scared for his sanity. Why was everything he thought in the last minutes connected with big grey animals with trunks? “You annoy me. Kill me rather.”
“Go,” Valjean said again.
Javert walked slowly away.
Valjean raised his carabine and fired a shot.
On the other side of the barricade the madman who had shouted “Come back” started crying “Don’t shoot my elephant.”
XXX
“There is an elephant,” Grantaire said confused.
“An elephant? In Paris?” Enjolras shook his head.
“But I saw it.”
“Grantaire, winecask, go inside, drink another absinthe against your hangover.” Enjolras said with a sharp voice. He could not admit that there was an elephant in front of the barricade. His credibility would be a mess when the others find out that he saw the elephant too. Better, if only the always drunken Grantaire tells everybody about the elephant.
XXX
Javert left the prefecture after he had reported the events of the day. He was unsure what to do next. Should he make a visit at the fallen barricade, or should he call at the address Valjean had given him? Before he was able to decide a big shadow appeared in the narrow street on his right. When Javert realized that the creature which was the owner of the shadow was neither a human being nor a horse but an elephant he was close to crying out of frustration, despair and terror. Instead of doing that Javert pursued the elephant. If he see such hallucinations it would be better to follow them. Perhaps he could find out the reason why he had them.
Javert started to doubt his conclusion when the elephant lead him to the sewers. This animal did either not know what it wants, just in case it existed, or it had a reason to go to the sewers.
Five seconds later Javert knew that it was good that he stand at the sewers because somebody came out. One man carried another man. The first man was very dirty, the second very young.
“Who are you?” Javert demanded to know.
“Me.”
“Who ‘me’?”
“Jean Valjean.”
Javert looked closer with his nightstick between his teeth.
“Did anybody ever tell you how ridiculous you look with your toy between your lips?” Valjean asked and laid his load on the ground. “Is there nothing else you can do with your mouth?”
“I don’t like your allusions,” Javert complained unintelligible and repeated it after he had taken the nightstick out of his mouth.
“Oh, sorry.”
“Who’s that?” Javert demanded to know and pointed at Marius.
“Oh, yes, I wanted to talk about him with you,” Valjean said, as if he had forgotten about the boy before. “You can do with me want you want but please help me to bring him home. He is wounded.”
“I think he is dead,” Javert replied.
“No, not yet. Will you help me?”
Javert nodded slowly. “But there is no need to carry him. We can take my elephant to bring him home.”
“Your elephant?”
“I didn’t say ‘my elephant’,” Javert said far too quickly.
“Yes, you did.”
“No, I did not. I said ‘my carriage’.”
“You did say ‘elephant’.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
XXX
Marius became conscious for almost one minute. He saw two men standing next to him who were arguing. One of them wore an uniform, the other one was too dirty to recognize any details.
Marius lay on the quay besides the Seine. On the opposite bank of the river stand an elephant which seemed to watch him pensively.
Marius decides that it was advisable under these circumstances to faint again. For this reason he did not notice how he was carried to a coach.
XXX
Valjean took another look out of the window of his flat. The street where Javert had said he would wait was still deserted. It was not Javert’s style simply to let go his prey so the situation seemed more than strange.
Suddenly there was a movement in the street.
Valjean prepared himself for Javert’s reappearence under his window but no policeman came into sight. The shadow was dark and big and after a few seconds Valjean perceived that the shadow belonged to an elephant.
“Absolutely unbelievable,” Valjean murmured and went down on the street.
The elephant swung its trunk and withdraw in the direction of the river as if it wanted to say “Come with me”.. Valjean followed it with the feeling of curiosity.
XXX
Javert stood on the bridge and looked down in the dark abyss. He was not sure if he really should jump. It would be easier to end everything tonight. He saw things that were not there, Valjean kissed him, this damn con let him go, and he let this damn con go… It was definitely too much for one day. He tried to decide what to do when on the next bridge the shadow of an elephant crossed the Pont Neuf.
An elephant walked over the Pont Neuf, that was a sign. Javert climbed over the balustrade. The decision was made, the abyss was near…
“Don’t,” a well-known voice behind him said with a tremble in it.
Javert lost almost his balance. “Go away. Go home.”
Valjean shook his head. “I won’t go.”
“That is ridiculous. Do you want to see me die?”
“Do you really think I would stand here and let you jump?”
“Listen, Valjean, I am of no use for anybody any longer. I see an elephant in Paris. I hallucinate. Even now I see an elephant on the Pont Neuf.”
“And because of that you want to jump?” Valjean smiled. “It is not necessary. There is an elephant on the Pont Neuf. And a man is running after it.”
“You see them too?”
“Yes, they are there. I have no idea, why, but in the middle of Paris we have an elephant.” Valjean started to laugh. “So climb back and stop behave like a fool.”
Javert breathed audible. “God, I am glad that I am not going mad.” He climbed back on safe ground. “And now? What am I supposed to do with you? I can’t arrest you.”
“Now you start doing strange things,” Valjean answered. “Perhaps you can do other strange things, too?”
“I won’t kiss you again,” Javert snarled.
“What a pity!” Valjean grinned wickedly. “But I think it would make a good new start to come with me to my place for a dinner and a discussion.”
“About what?”
“Elephants, perhaps.”
XXX
The elephant watched how the two man on the opposite bridge walked slowly away, lost in a lively discussion about guilt, forgiveness and how to live a life.
The elephant smiled satisfied. It allowed the crazy circus director who had chased it the whole day to come close enough so that he could lead it home.
The elephant would not make another escape attempt in the future. It had fulfilled finally its mission after a dozen times without success: to rescue the life of a stubborn policeman and of a sometimes-too-close-to-sainthood ex-convict and to give them a chance for a future together because this was their destiny.
The elephant trumpeted contently and followed the director without any hesitation back to the circus.
The end
An elephant with a mission! Oh, dear, what kind of drugs do I consume?
I promised to finish this very strange thing until chrismas. Now I am ready one month earlier (and I am normally a slow writer).
Sorry, if there are any mistakes in grammar, etc. It is the first time I have written a story in English. My native language is German.
Title: „The shadow of an elephant“
Author: Michelle Mercy
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none, because nobody do improper things with the elephant…
Pairings: J/JV, what else?
Summary: a lot of strange things happen because of an elephant in Paris on June 6th 1832
Author’s note: Dedicated to Shila and Wolfgang, who spent an evening with developing ideas much more strange than mine… I couldn’t use all of them, I’m sorry. But it’s still one of the strangest things I’ve ever wrote.
The shadow of an elephant
Enrico Guardiani, the director of the circus “Pont d’or” knew shortly after he awoke that it would become a very bad day, this 6th of June 1832. It war not only that terrible rain which went down on the city of Paris. There was too that message which he received before having breakfast. The circus’ famous elephant, which was the main attraction for the audience, vanished from his stable. It has to be mentioned that this elephant was not missed for the first time; it was now a dozen times the animal make an escape attempt. Eleven times Guardiani brought it back.
“I swear to you,” Guardiani said grimly to himself and to the absent elephant, “I will bring you back where you belong. And for this twelfth attempt you have to work another nineteen years for my circus.” Then the director was on his way to follow the fugitive.
XXX
Guardiani pursued the elephant to the centre of Paris. He realized that in the city a riot was prepared, but he has to bring back his elephant in the first place. He war not interested in politics, just in his circus. The elephant seemed to have an aim, like it would know where to go.
The elephant lead him near the rue de Chanvrerie. There the animal stopped and trumpeted loud and with a lot of passion.
XXX
“Listen,” Enjolras called, “the trumpet signal of the National Guard. They will start their attack. Hold yourself in readiness.”
“Ehem, I’m not sure that it was really a signal,” Coufreyac said. “It sounds more like a horn which must be tuned.”
“Perhaps the trumpeter is just practising?” Grantaire asked.
“I didn’t hear any signal,” Joly yelled. “Oh, my god, I become deaf.”
Valjean watched these strange students. What should he do? He could not leave Javert inside the tavern and risked that they would kill him.
The trumpet was really the signal for the attack. At least the National Guard started an attack. In reality they were even so surprised as the students and thought that it was the signal for the students to attack.
The fight began with an misunderstanding and ended - beside some deadly wounded victims - with the shot Valjean gave up to save Enjolras’ life.
“Do you think that I should have a reward?” Valjean wanted to know.
“Yes,” Enjolras replied.
“Than I ask for one.”
“What kind of reward? A trumpet?”
“No, not exactly,” Valjean answered irritated. “I thought that I could maybe have permission to crush that man’s skull.” He sounded a bit like a little boy who asked if he can take a puppy home.
Javert raised his head, looked to Valjean and said: “That would be just.”
Enjolras thought some seconds. Could he really give the policeman to this old man who would definitely kill him? Could he live with that on his conscience? It would be a murder in cold blood, as if he himself would press the trigger. Otherwise he owed the old man a reward for the rescue of his life. Why could not god just give him a sign what to do?
In this moment he saw behind Valjean’s back and the barricade an elephant which seemed to take a walk just for fun on this dangerous place. Okay, he asked for a sign but what kind of sign was an elephant in the middle of Paris?
“For god’s sake do what you want with that spy,” Enjolras decided. When there was really an elephant it would be better not to talk or even think about it.
Valjean went to Javert und stared at the policeman.
“Take your revenge,” Javert said.
Valjean took the little blade out of his pocket.
“A surin. You are right. That suits you better,” Javert continued and awaited to feel the knife between his rips.
Instead of being staggered Javert felt that the rope which bond him around the neck was cut. What devilish plan has the convict now? Before another thought the ties around his wrists were gone. He looked out of the small window to find an explanation for the strange Valjean’s strange behaviour.
“Did you see that?” Javert asked suddenly more than a little bit disturbed.
Valjean kneed in front of him and cut the ties around the legs. “No, I didn’t see anything.”
“There is an elephant running between the barricade and the lines of the National Guard,” Javert said.
“But everything else is okay with you?” Valjean asked concerned. Had the Inspector became insane during his arrest?
“Do you think I am mad, 24601? There is an elephant outside.”
“When you say there is an elephant outside I am sure that you see an elephant, but I am not completely sure that there is an elephant.”
“Look outside yourself, you bloody con.”
Valjean came to his feet and looked outside the small window. “I cannot see an elephant. I see only a guy running around like a madman who shouts ‘Come back, come back!’”
“He is chasing the elephant,” Javert said.
“Of course he does, M. l’Inspecteur.” Valjean’s voice was quiet; he hoped that he could calm down Javert this way.
“Stop that.”
“What?”
“Teasing me.”
“I would not dare to tease you.” Valjean smiled. “But you must confess you behave a little strange. Seeing elephants in the middle of Paris…”
“I saw one elephant, not elephants.”
“Sorry.” Valjean was silent for a few seconds. Then he stood upon his toes, lay his arms around Javert’s neck an kissed him on the lips.
For a short moment Javert was confused. He did not move but allowed the exploring tongue to find its way. Surprisingly the feeling was not unpleasant but very pleasing…
Pleasing? How could anything be pleasing when it came from a convict and part-time saint?
Javert pushed Valjean away and stared with a hostile glance to him. “Are you completely out of your mind?” Javert shouted. “What the hell was that?”
“Fine,” Valjean smiled again, “your reaction is almost normal, so it seems that you just see strange things but you don’t feel forced to do them.”
Javert did not reply but gave him a withering glance.
“You are free,” Valjean said.
“Free?” Javert asked. Could he ever be free of this crazy convict?
“I don’t expect to leave this place” Valjean went on. “Still, if by chance I should, I live, under the name of Fauchelevent, in the rue de l’Homme-Armé, number seven.”
Javert growled. “Take care.”
“Go,” Valjean answered.
“You said Fauchelephant?” Javert asked.
“Your thoughts seem at the moment ab bit… single tracked, I’m afraid. The name is Fauchelevent,” Valjean repeated.
Javert began to be scared for his sanity. Why was everything he thought in the last minutes connected with big grey animals with trunks? “You annoy me. Kill me rather.”
“Go,” Valjean said again.
Javert walked slowly away.
Valjean raised his carabine and fired a shot.
On the other side of the barricade the madman who had shouted “Come back” started crying “Don’t shoot my elephant.”
XXX
“There is an elephant,” Grantaire said confused.
“An elephant? In Paris?” Enjolras shook his head.
“But I saw it.”
“Grantaire, winecask, go inside, drink another absinthe against your hangover.” Enjolras said with a sharp voice. He could not admit that there was an elephant in front of the barricade. His credibility would be a mess when the others find out that he saw the elephant too. Better, if only the always drunken Grantaire tells everybody about the elephant.
XXX
Javert left the prefecture after he had reported the events of the day. He was unsure what to do next. Should he make a visit at the fallen barricade, or should he call at the address Valjean had given him? Before he was able to decide a big shadow appeared in the narrow street on his right. When Javert realized that the creature which was the owner of the shadow was neither a human being nor a horse but an elephant he was close to crying out of frustration, despair and terror. Instead of doing that Javert pursued the elephant. If he see such hallucinations it would be better to follow them. Perhaps he could find out the reason why he had them.
Javert started to doubt his conclusion when the elephant lead him to the sewers. This animal did either not know what it wants, just in case it existed, or it had a reason to go to the sewers.
Five seconds later Javert knew that it was good that he stand at the sewers because somebody came out. One man carried another man. The first man was very dirty, the second very young.
“Who are you?” Javert demanded to know.
“Me.”
“Who ‘me’?”
“Jean Valjean.”
Javert looked closer with his nightstick between his teeth.
“Did anybody ever tell you how ridiculous you look with your toy between your lips?” Valjean asked and laid his load on the ground. “Is there nothing else you can do with your mouth?”
“I don’t like your allusions,” Javert complained unintelligible and repeated it after he had taken the nightstick out of his mouth.
“Oh, sorry.”
“Who’s that?” Javert demanded to know and pointed at Marius.
“Oh, yes, I wanted to talk about him with you,” Valjean said, as if he had forgotten about the boy before. “You can do with me want you want but please help me to bring him home. He is wounded.”
“I think he is dead,” Javert replied.
“No, not yet. Will you help me?”
Javert nodded slowly. “But there is no need to carry him. We can take my elephant to bring him home.”
“Your elephant?”
“I didn’t say ‘my elephant’,” Javert said far too quickly.
“Yes, you did.”
“No, I did not. I said ‘my carriage’.”
“You did say ‘elephant’.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
XXX
Marius became conscious for almost one minute. He saw two men standing next to him who were arguing. One of them wore an uniform, the other one was too dirty to recognize any details.
Marius lay on the quay besides the Seine. On the opposite bank of the river stand an elephant which seemed to watch him pensively.
Marius decides that it was advisable under these circumstances to faint again. For this reason he did not notice how he was carried to a coach.
XXX
Valjean took another look out of the window of his flat. The street where Javert had said he would wait was still deserted. It was not Javert’s style simply to let go his prey so the situation seemed more than strange.
Suddenly there was a movement in the street.
Valjean prepared himself for Javert’s reappearence under his window but no policeman came into sight. The shadow was dark and big and after a few seconds Valjean perceived that the shadow belonged to an elephant.
“Absolutely unbelievable,” Valjean murmured and went down on the street.
The elephant swung its trunk and withdraw in the direction of the river as if it wanted to say “Come with me”.. Valjean followed it with the feeling of curiosity.
XXX
Javert stood on the bridge and looked down in the dark abyss. He was not sure if he really should jump. It would be easier to end everything tonight. He saw things that were not there, Valjean kissed him, this damn con let him go, and he let this damn con go… It was definitely too much for one day. He tried to decide what to do when on the next bridge the shadow of an elephant crossed the Pont Neuf.
An elephant walked over the Pont Neuf, that was a sign. Javert climbed over the balustrade. The decision was made, the abyss was near…
“Don’t,” a well-known voice behind him said with a tremble in it.
Javert lost almost his balance. “Go away. Go home.”
Valjean shook his head. “I won’t go.”
“That is ridiculous. Do you want to see me die?”
“Do you really think I would stand here and let you jump?”
“Listen, Valjean, I am of no use for anybody any longer. I see an elephant in Paris. I hallucinate. Even now I see an elephant on the Pont Neuf.”
“And because of that you want to jump?” Valjean smiled. “It is not necessary. There is an elephant on the Pont Neuf. And a man is running after it.”
“You see them too?”
“Yes, they are there. I have no idea, why, but in the middle of Paris we have an elephant.” Valjean started to laugh. “So climb back and stop behave like a fool.”
Javert breathed audible. “God, I am glad that I am not going mad.” He climbed back on safe ground. “And now? What am I supposed to do with you? I can’t arrest you.”
“Now you start doing strange things,” Valjean answered. “Perhaps you can do other strange things, too?”
“I won’t kiss you again,” Javert snarled.
“What a pity!” Valjean grinned wickedly. “But I think it would make a good new start to come with me to my place for a dinner and a discussion.”
“About what?”
“Elephants, perhaps.”
XXX
The elephant watched how the two man on the opposite bridge walked slowly away, lost in a lively discussion about guilt, forgiveness and how to live a life.
The elephant smiled satisfied. It allowed the crazy circus director who had chased it the whole day to come close enough so that he could lead it home.
The elephant would not make another escape attempt in the future. It had fulfilled finally its mission after a dozen times without success: to rescue the life of a stubborn policeman and of a sometimes-too-close-to-sainthood ex-convict and to give them a chance for a future together because this was their destiny.
The elephant trumpeted contently and followed the director without any hesitation back to the circus.
The end
An elephant with a mission! Oh, dear, what kind of drugs do I consume?