Combeferre had been about to answer that, when he realized what that WAS about and he frowned, hating to see, well, to have it confirmed, what he knew Eponine thought of herself, and to see again where it had come from. And he had been so small before this man, so powerless to stop being sent out with men into the streets, or sent off to ensure that the rent was paid another month, and oh god.
The most horrifying thing, he'd personally thought, as himself, outside of Eponine's memories, was watching the man change from loving father, albeit one who was certainly cheap, and conniving, and all the rest, though Eponine had not known it then, to watch him go from someone he was sure Eponine must have felt safe with, especially when he'd found Madame to be more frightening from a child's perspective.
As an adult, and himself, he could see the ways she had been pulled into the life she'd lead, the Thenardiess. Still a terrible person who had harmed Eponine and Gavroche and their other siblings, but one who had come into it by means she'd probably not been able to control because she was a woman and the world had made her cold and cruel and terrifying. The terror stuck out though, having witnessed her with the Lark, and knowing it may turn on him...on her, Eponine, at any time the woman was displeased. The father had felt like a source of more security and then had changed in such a way...
It was disgusting and disgraceful and most of all made him ill now, but Combeferre made himself smile at the man before him.
"Doctors and Lawyers. Fine company indeed. I am to finish my physician's and surgical degrees in a few month's time." He used the truth from Paris still. "I've been at the Necker, on internship, monsieur. I believe they mean to keep me on when that has ended." In other words, he could compete with them in order to care for Eponine properly, or even, if it was needed, to pay for that privilege, as much as treating her like property disgusted him.
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The most horrifying thing, he'd personally thought, as himself, outside of Eponine's memories, was watching the man change from loving father, albeit one who was certainly cheap, and conniving, and all the rest, though Eponine had not known it then, to watch him go from someone he was sure Eponine must have felt safe with, especially when he'd found Madame to be more frightening from a child's perspective.
As an adult, and himself, he could see the ways she had been pulled into the life she'd lead, the Thenardiess. Still a terrible person who had harmed Eponine and Gavroche and their other siblings, but one who had come into it by means she'd probably not been able to control because she was a woman and the world had made her cold and cruel and terrifying. The terror stuck out though, having witnessed her with the Lark, and knowing it may turn on him...on her, Eponine, at any time the woman was displeased. The father had felt like a source of more security and then had changed in such a way...
It was disgusting and disgraceful and most of all made him ill now, but Combeferre made himself smile at the man before him.
"Doctors and Lawyers. Fine company indeed. I am to finish my physician's and surgical degrees in a few month's time." He used the truth from Paris still. "I've been at the Necker, on internship, monsieur. I believe they mean to keep me on when that has ended." In other words, he could compete with them in order to care for Eponine properly, or even, if it was needed, to pay for that privilege, as much as treating her like property disgusted him.