I was a student.

[What is he now? Enjolras has not yet decided. There are no ecoles here for him to attend.] Voltaire was an artist of a kind. A writer of many things. This is his work Idées républicaines- his thoughts on a republic as the ideal form of government.

[The topic distracts him from the talking cat; it's apparent in the way he relaxes and his expression eases.]