Eponine shakes her head. "I got sent to the prison last time. And Sir, even in prison, there is another one - a small room to yourself, no bars, no windows. There is a light that always shines bright, and a rock to sleep on. The door don't open and food is pushed through a little door what slams before you can even catch a glimpse through to see someone. And only scraps, only once a day. Sir, I were going mad in there. I could hear voices, and the monsters - God, it were in my head but it were so bad. They've put me in there twice before, and then in Nott too. I ain't scared of it, but how much do I hate it? And even when they brought me out, I were chained. They made me a servant a day, and chains on my wrists to my waist, and down to my feet so it were shuffle, shuffle. Sir, I can't go back. And for murder? It will be the worse, no? Hanging if they know of it."

Eponine wraps her arms about her. "I don't want to be here, Sir, but I ain't got nowhere else to go. I just need somewhere a bit warm from the winter so I don't freeze to death. It ain't too much to ask, is it?"