The meeting eventually starts. Combeferre is half-listening to Enjolras, but also fiddling under the table with different combinations of wire and metal. None of his creations are successful in picking up a signal. He wonders if this is due to the disorganization, or if he is just doing it wrong.
Feuilly leans over from the neighboring table and pokes him surreptitiously. "Let me do it." Combeferre hands him the mess that he is currently working on. Feuilly, sighing at the ineptitude of the construction, proceeds to disconnect everything, to Combeferre's silent outrage, and lays all the pieces out neatly on his lap. "Pass some wood, will you?" he whispers. He receives a venomous glare and a fistful of wood scraps. Combeferre would have thrown them at his head if he thought it would go undetected.
Feuilly reconnects the wires and metal: Combeferre is surprised that he remembers the way it was before, and repents for wanting to throw the wood at him. It is neater now than it was, and Feuilly uses the scraps to separate the different wires and keep them from crossing. He passes it back to Combeferre, who listens to it, looks back, and shakes his head.
