[Masterpiece Les Miserables] Paris Sparks

The next stop arrived before noon.The stagecoach would leave in the afternoon, Caton and Darnay reserved two seats, and hired someone to take Master Scophone's carriage back to Digne.They kindly invited Jean Valjean to go with them, but Jean Valjean refused.

"Two good gentlemen have saved me once!" he said, throwing his big sack over his shoulders, "but I cannot always depend on your kindness. God has shown me the way, and it will not let me I can't go on."

"God bless you!" said Darnay, shaking his hand.Carton handed over a folded piece of paper.

"Here is the address of my house," said he, "in case you need anything later."

Jean Valjean took the paper almost reverently, and put it carefully in his breast pocket.Having finished his words of thanks, he took a deep look at the two of them, and then walked along the road with a huge bag on his shoulders.Dane and Caton looked at his back, and no one said anything——There are always moments when people realize that a mortal can't save all the suffering in this world, and it causes great sorrow.

After a while, they turned and walked back, looking for a temporary resting place, and it was only then that Dane noticed Caton's slightly pale face. "Sidney, are you all right?" he asked immediately with concern, putting one hand on his companion's.Both of them are old, and Caton has always been in poor health due to his dissolute life when he was young. When he was away, Darne always took extra care of him, just like taking care of his brother.

Carton just shook his head slightly and didn't answer.It was not until the two of them sat down under an oily bench in a tavern that he finally broke the silence between them. "My friend, after all these years, have you never thought about why we look so similar?"

"I do often lament the wonder of fate—the first time you and I met, you used this appearance to save me from an unjust prison." Although Da Nai was surprised, he still replied frankly, "I never thought that there would be nothing but a coincidence. Besides the coincidence, is there any other reason."

Caton's expression trembled, it wasn't even a wry smile, it was just a spasm at the corner of his mouth. "Do you still remember the content of the letter you got on Defa Day?"

"I never forget a day." Dane whispered deeply.

"Then it never occurred to you that your uncle—the Marquis Evermond, who had spoiled so many young women—could have left a child or two?"

Charles Darnay's eyes widened at the metaphor in his words.

"My friend, don't you mean—"

"Haven't you ever wondered about my parents, my life experience, Charles? You never wondered why I fell to this point, why I once lost all dreams and hopes in life, and gave up on myself completely? When the doctor and I put together that When you wrote the letter, you never thought about why I can clearly remember all the names of people, places and time at a glance?"

His fingers were as cold as ice, and his body was as rigid as a stone statue.The sculptural arm moved stiffly, as if it was about to be pulled back, but Dane held that hand tightly with both hands and pressed it against his chest.

"I can't say that these thoughts never crossed my mind," he said, in a firm yet gentle voice, "but I don't need to know all that, my friend, to know enough about who you are. You are a man of integrity. , sincere, noble and talented man, you have saved my life - not once, but twice - you have saved my family, you have given Corona the best love and education you could have .No matter what you have to say today, no matter who your parents are, it will not change my opinion of you."

The appearance of the rock is broken by this statement.Carton buried his face in the palm of his hand, and the held hand squeezed Darney tightly. "I just don't understand," Darney continued, "it's been so many years, Sidney, why are you bringing this up now?"

"Because you and I both know that nobles still have the power of amnesty in France today—and I have never formally renounced my right of inheritance." Carton said with his face covered, his voice seemed to come from deep underground, Years of pain and hatred are like roots intertwined in the soil, suddenly turned up to the ground, "And I can't help but wonder if the power that once destroyed so many people can save one person now."

Of course Corona didn't know all of this.

Darnay, like Lucy, is tight-lipped about his friend's secrets.Now, each of them has a secret of Carton in their hearts, which is so tightly guarded that this intimate couple does not know each other that the other has heard Carton confide in him.Naturally, Darnay wouldn't tell Corona a word.As for Caton, he downplayed the whole meeting with Jean Valjean—or rather, he downplayed the whole thing.In turn, he kept asking about Corona's situation: what she had been doing in the past six months, why her hair was so short, why she suddenly became so much darker.

This approach did work, Coronna could ignore the objections of Lucy and Miss Pross, but she couldn't ignore the objections of Carton - Carton didn't even need to show explicit objection, he frowned , is a big deal for her.Therefore, while she was talking about her experience, she peeked at him anxiously, worrying too much about Caton's reaction, and forgot about asking about the trip to France.And Caton's reaction was not beyond her expectation. He was surprised at first, and then sighed softly during her narration.

"Corona." Carton called her name with love, even though Corona was a little afraid of what he was going to say next, she couldn't help but miss the tone in which Carton called her name, and felt a burst of emotion because of it. Sweet, "Riding horses, fencing, these are not things girls should learn. You understand this yourself, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't deliberately dress up as a man."

"You said that too." Corona said half protesting, half aggrieved, leaning her head on his shoulder, "It's because everyone said so that I pretended to be a boy—but in fact, As long as they don't find out that I'm a girl, they think I can do well."

"As long as they don't realize you're a girl," Caton pointed out gently, "that's the difference, Corona."

Corona pursed her lips and fell silent.

"I don't understand." She finally said, and suddenly raised her face to look at Caton, "I have always, never been able to understand, father—is the difference between girls and boys, except for childbirth, really that big? ?”

Carton wanted to answer, but Corona's hasty and intense voice didn't give him a chance to intervene.

"I am a girl, but I can learn French, arithmetic, geometry, horseback riding, and fencing. I am not inferior to those young masters who started learning at the same time, and even better than them. I believe that a boy can also learn to weave , sewing, embroidering and housekeeping, look, there are so many men's tailors in the tailor shop! What's the difference? Why can I only learn some of them and have to give up others just because of my gender? My gender It was determined by God at birth, so my interests and abilities are no longer my own choice, but must follow some unified view. It's not fair, Dad, I can do well, but no one Allow me to do it!"

Carton was almost shocked to see tears in her eyes.He was silent. This eloquent lawyer in court couldn't find a word to comfort his daughter at this moment.It is precisely because of his eloquent tongue and quick thinking that he has no way to use clever words to package the fact and tell his daughter: Yes, some of your talents are destined not to be recognized.

"Why, why, papa? I can't understand," said Coronne. "Can't I be brave and firm as a girl—look at Joan of Arc in France! Can't I be pure, kind, and gentle as a boy? Daddy, if I were a boy, would Aunt Lucy and little Lucy and Miss Prnet be so against me learning these things?"

She looked up at Caton with tears in her eyes, but the tears did not flow down.

"...and you don't approve of my learning. Do you, Papa?"

Caton raised his hand to stroke her blond hair, which was now too short.Corona leaned on his shoulders, closed her eyes, two tears were squeezed out, and fell on Caton's knees, as hot as the lava dripping on his heart.Caton knew in his heart how difficult it was for a 9-year-old girl to pretend to be a boy and study and train with other boys, not to mention that she had to weave lies to deceive those teachers.Just thinking about how many times she might be kidnapped, abducted, and sold somewhere to be a maid gave him chills, and he wanted to lose his temper with her.As soon as this kind of imagination appeared, Caton couldn't help but shudder, as if the hopeless coldness of the grave after losing Corona had been reflected on his body in advance.Yes - Carton made up his mind, even though he knew that such a decision might disappoint his little girl, he had to say it.It was better than the day when she accidentally fell off her horse, got shot in the shooting range, or was led down the hate-filled path of the Defarges by blind enthusiasm.

"I don't agree. Corona, my dear, you have said too many 'ifs' and 'maybes', but there are no 'ifs' in this world. You are not a boy, this is what God has decided. He tried to soften his voice as much as possible, and slowly combed her hair with his fingers, "If a doctor suddenly decides to be a captain, and a cook suddenly decides to treat people, what will happen? The doctor can also help Justify yourself, 'I've never led a ship through the sea, it's not fair.' Let him lead a ship, and it will eventually capsize in the storm. God has a role for each of us, Men should learn to be brave and strong, to be soldiers, doctors, and fathers. Women should be gentle and chaste, take care of housework, and be a good mother, so that society can continue to function normally. If we allow mothers all over the world to go to school Fighting on the battlefield and being busy outside all day long, who will look after and raise the children at home?"

"But doctors, captains, and soldiers are all careers that people choose. People can even be sailors for a few years, become interested in medicine, and change to study medicine." Corona argued, "Why can't women be family members for a few years?" Housewives, if you feel inappropriate, do something else? Men can take care of children, just as women can be doctors. Why must certain people be required to do certain things?"

"So, can you name a few female doctors?" Caton asked.

"I can't tell, it's because girls are banned from being doctors—but why was it banned in the first place?"

"Because different genders have different characteristics." Carton persuaded her patiently, "Just like some people are born to run fast, and some people are born to be particularly sensitive to literature. This is a talent given to us by God. And women We are born gentle, careful, and good at home. We should accept God's arrangement with gratitude, Corona, and not challenge our natural duties as mortals. I believe you can learn to knit and sew well, yes no?"

No matter how eloquent Corona is, she is still a nine-year-old child with limited knowledge and abilities.All this time, she has only vaguely felt a cry in her heart: "This is not fair!" But she would be at a loss for words if she was asked to elaborate on what was unfair and unreasonable, let alone He Ka. Barristers such as Dunton, who have long been famous, debated.She was silent, unable to find words to refute.But Carton waited for her for a while, and decided that his little girl had conceded, so he backed down a step to prevent her from being too frustrated: "So, you can continue to learn to ride a horse, but every time you learn to learn, you have to go with me or Uncle Charles. Take care of me. Besides, those things that boys only do-such as fencing, shooting, fighting, etc., are not allowed to learn. If you want to learn something, come and tell me, okay?"

Corona leaned on his lap and nodded quietly.

"I don't blame you for taking the family's money this time, but you have to apologize to Lucy, little Lucy and Miss Purnet for worrying them before." Carton said, holding up her hands With a small face, let her look at him, "Don't be an example."

Corona just continued to nod silently.Carton sighed and kissed her forehead.This wasn't a quarrel, but he felt just as uncomfortable—maybe even more heartbroken than Corona. "You promised, didn't you?"

"Yes, Dad." Corona replied softly, she didn't look angry, and she didn't shed tears except for the first two tears.On the contrary, her expression was calm and calm, "You have asked me to do so, and I will accept it."

Caton stared at her.

"You agreed, but I didn't persuade you to change your mind, did I?"

Corona paused.Maybe it was Caton's hallucination, but there seemed to be a smile on the corner of her lips.

"Yes, you did not."

The author has something to say: The author solemnly promises that this chapter and all the content related to French law or French aristocracy involved in this article are purely fabricated.

After half a year of getting stuck on researching information, I realized that if I had to study French law in the 18th century, I would not be able to write this article.So please take a look and don't take it seriously...

In addition, all the characters, including Caton and Corona, are not time-travelers. Their views on gender are limited by age, so don't ask them with modern requirements.Comparing to everyone.