A Little Fall Air

[merryeccentricities]

Autumn in Milliways is not quite the autumn Joly remembers in Paris, and even less the autumn he remembers from childhood in Auvignon-- but it is decidedly autumn all the same, cool and pleasant enough to inspire him to extend his usual daily walks.


And there's another figure from his Paris walking today , the silhouette unmistakeable--and the gait too. He lifts one hand, and calls out a greeting in a conversational tone. "Marius! Marius Pontmercy!"

Comments

[merryeccentricities]

Well Joly is certainly near tears now. He puts an arm across Marius' back, though without any pressure to restrain.

"no--no there's nothing to ask pardon for, not from me, not from anyone , not for this! It's all right, it is--well, it is bizarre, isn't it, after all-- who ever has had to deal with such matters with quite such a place as this,hey?" He's really not trying to make a joke of it-- Marius doesn't seem the sort-- but it seems important to acknowledge the absurdity.

[heartbeneathastone]

"Well-- well, no one, I expect," he says, still trying to collect himself.

[merryeccentricities]

"That's right, that's right. Marius-- you're not doing wrong for, for this, you know? It's all right, it comes how it comes and it takes the time it takes, that's all."

[heartbeneathastone]

He bows his head and says softly, "That is very kind of you to say."

Then, after a pause, he says haltingly, "If I have given any impression of-- of unease or unhappiness about-- that is, to see and speak to you all, I-- regret it very much."