1832. The teeming, squalid streets of Paris. Beggars, urchins, prostitutes, students, etc.      BEGGARS   Look down and see the beggars at your feet   Look down and show some mercy if you can   Look down and see the sweepings of the street   Look down, look down,   Upon your fellow man!      GAVROCHE   'Ow do you do? My name's Gavroche.   These are my people. Here's my patch.   Not much to look at, nothing posh   Nothing that you'd call up to scratch.   This is my school, my high society   Here in the slums of Saint Michele   We live on crumbs of humble piety   Tough on the teeth, but what the hell!   Think you're poor?   Think you're free?   Follow me! Follow me!      BEGGARS   Look down and show some mercy if you can   Look down, look down, upon your fellow man!      (An old beggar woman finds a young prostitute occupying her pitch)      OLD BEGGAR WOMAN   What you think yer at?   Hanging round me pitch?   If you're new around here, girl   You've got a lot to learn!      YOUNG PROSTITUTE   Listen you old bat...   Crazy bloody witch...   'Least I give me customers   Some pleasure in return!      OLD BEGGAR WOMAN   I know what you give!   Give 'em all the pox!   Spread around your poison   Till they end up in a box.      PIMP   Leave the poor old cow,   Move it, Madeleine.   She used to be no better   Till the clap got to her brain.      BEGGARS   When's it gonna end?   When we gonna live?   Something's gotta happen now or   Something's gonna give   It'll come, it'll come, it'll come   It'll come, it'll come, it'll come      ENJOLRAS   Where the leaders of the land?   Where are the swells who run this show?      MARIUS   Only one man - and that's Lamarque   Speaks for these people here below.      BEGGARS   See our children fed   Help us in our shame   Something for a crust of bread   In Holy Jesus' name      URCHIN   In the Lord's Holy name.      BEGGARS   In his name, in his name, in his name...      MARIUS   Lamarque is ill and fading fast!   Won't last the week out, so they say.      ENJOLRAS   With all the anger in the land   How long before the judgement day?   Before we cut the fat ones down to size?   Before the barricades arise?      GAVROCHE   Watch out for old Thenardier   All of his family's on the make   Once ran a hash-house down the way   Bit of a swine and no mistake   He's got a gang   The bleeding layabout   Even his daughter does her share   That's Eponine, she knows her way about   Only a kid, but hard to scare   Do we care?   Not a cuss   Long live us.   Long live us!      BEGGARS   Look down and show some mercy if you can   Look down, look down upon your fellow man!