Marus' Mystery

Marus' Mystery

Without his love, Marus is depressed,
like a despondent schoolboy he wanders;
Always looking for that longed-for face
Always wishing her around the corner.
So deep in reveries Marus is,
that he sees not the world as it passes by.
A scene not unusual, yet still not common,
Two girls dash by and gasping for breath
say that they do believe they've outrun the police.
As they pass by, a parcel is dropped,
Four letters, no stamps, no addresses either.
All in the same writing, all smelling of smoke.
(As Marus later finds when he reads them in his room)
All begging for money, in some way or another-
but each speaking as from a different man.
Not finding an owner, nor finding an address,
Marus forgets them and sits to read the paper.
The next morning, a knock is at the door.
Thinking it the landlady, and the door never being locked,
He calls for her to come in.
But when a voice speaks it is scratchy,
Rather hoarse and low-like a voice broken by liquor.
On looking up he sees a girl, seventeen years of age.
Her clothing is ragged, her shirt falls low,
Yet she does not appear to notice the show.
She hands him a letter, but lo and behold-
The writing is of the same as the others,
It smells of tobacco, and begs for money,
And Marus has come to the end of the mystery.



From a section of Les Miserables


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