In this chapter we have more ranting from Tholomyès. He is again pointing his attention and affection away from Fantine and toward others, often fictional imagined people he wishes he could have. He sucks. In the midst of all of this there is a bit of commotion outside as a aging horse harnessed to a heavy cart stumbles and falls. The driver of the cart cursing loudly begins to whip the horse and it collapses again, this time unable to rise.
With all eight members of the party gathered at the window watching this go down, Fantine does what seems normal and natural - she expresses sorrow for the horse and it’s condition. The response she gets further reveals the contrast between her and her companions. Dahlia responds “well, listen to her, making a fuss about a horse.” as though she is more offended or bothered by Fantine’s sympathy for the animal than she is by it’s clear mistreatment and demise.
This then leads to Favourite bringing the surprise up again as if nothing concerning was happening at all. Not to make too much out of this, but the uncaring lack of concern exposes a certain numbness. It’s a desensitization that seems to exist in degrees, and it’s easy to see how lack of care and concern for a horse could easily become lack of care and concern for a human if it wasn’t directly impacting the group.
This backdrop to the “surprise” adds a foreboding element to it. As the young men all kiss their partner on the forehead to begin the surprise, finger over lips with the instructions not to follow, it isn’t a stretch to assume this surprise might in fact be something cruel or negative. The desensitization that has been on display has done nothing to make us assume that these young men actually care about these young women, and it is Fantine who is most in danger of being hurt.