Eponine had begun to back off as soon as Ruby raised the crossbow. Eponine hadn't really seen such a weapon close up before; she had only a vague idea of how it worked, but she knew that she could not beat it with her puny knife.

But then the woman dropped it, and with the crossbow, so Eponine's jaw dropped momentarily.

"Cook, Madame? You're not to kill me? You will give me food... I cannot cook much..."