[Masterpiece Les Miserables] Paris Sparks

Carton didn't speak.

"I don't blame you, father—I swear to God I never blame you, or Basil. But you don't expect me to never figure it out: before I was a painter, You and Basil make it so hard for a painter that it makes me feel that they will never accept me as long as I am a woman; it makes me feel that my paintings are far from being good enough to be a painter. But when I When I started to publish my paintings, I discovered that this is not what you said at all. If they can accept Mrs. Le Brun, they can also accept me. Even if my level is still lacking, it is not so bad that it is criticized by thousands of people. .”

Caton sighed slowly.When he spoke again, his voice was old and tired: "Then what are you going to do?"

"My original plan was that if you don't mention it, I won't mention it either. I won't talk about it until the two-year deadline is approaching, or when you plan to marry me again."

"Don't mention it? You have been troubled by this matter for so long."

"Even without this agreement, I still can't figure out things that I can't figure out." Corona said, resting her head on Caton's shoulder, "What does it matter? Besides, now I want to understand."

She didn't need to look at Caton's face to know that he was smiling wryly.

"But what about the other agreement?" he asked.

"What?" Corona asked, feeling her heart beating wildly.

"When we went to pick up Cosette, I said that when all my preparations were over, I would tell you everything, including what happened to your mother. Now, you can With a firm foothold in Paris, it's time for me to deliver on my promise."

"—You said that." Corona said, trying her best to control her tone.But she couldn't do it, she could hear the obvious trembling in her voice, "I've almost forgotten about that."

This is of course a lie.Ever since she was nine years old, ever since Carton left for Paris that night, and Coronne heard Ramona's name vaguely behind the door, this incident has been in her heart and has never been forgotten.However, although her desire for the truth was as strong as ever, her desire for this matter gradually weakened.From the clues shown by Carton and the Darney family, Corona has gradually decided that what happened back then was by no means a good thing.That should be a tragic thing, so that my mother died of poverty, and my father and the Darney family still can't let go of it.

She felt a conflict that almost tore herself apart: she was eager to know the truth of what happened that year, and what kind of person her mother was, which was almost an instinct as a daughter.But for many years, Caton was her closest person, no different from her biological father, and Corona didn't want anything to hurt him.

How does one choose between one's mother and one's father?It's like choosing whether to cut off your left hand or your right hand, which one is heart-wrenching.But, in her trembling silence, Carton ignored her obvious lie and made his own decision: "On the 1st of next month, we will go to Montreuil to see Fantine. I want to Explain it with you."

--Yes, and Fantine.She has no reason to deprive Fantine of her right to know, and Ramona is also Fantine's mother.Corona finally nodded.

The 1st of next month, that is to say, there are still 9 days left.

She looked forward to the passing of these nine days, and hoped that July would never come.

Perhaps for the first time in her life, Corona understood what "escape" was.

But the day finally came.

The father and daughter were unusually silent along the way. When they arrived in Montreuil, they first visited the mayor, and then Mr. Madeleine personally led the way and took them to the current residence of Fantine, mother and daughter. "Is everything all right with you, Monsieur Mayor?" Corona asked him on the way.

"Thank you for your concern, I'm fine."

"I read Fantine's letter saying that she is much better now. What did the doctor say?" Corona asked again.

"Since she was reunited with her daughter, she has indeed recovered, but she still coughs from time to time. Considering that lung disease is easy to leave the root cause, the doctor suggested that she continue to rest for a while in Montreuil or other coastal cities with better air."

Corona couldn't tell whether she was disappointed by the answer or relieved.However, the journey was not long, and they did not give her enough time to settle down. They were already standing in front of Fantine's current residence.The house is small, warm and lovely, and there is a small, well-kept garden in front.M. Madeleine opened the gate of the garden gate and entered. "Now I come once a day to teach Cosette how to read." He knocked on the door while explaining to them.

Fantine soon came and opened the door.Looking up, she cried out in surprise: "Ah, Monsieur Madeleine, it's you!"

Following her cry, there was the sound of running in the room.Fantine, looking back, was even more delighted. "Corona! Ah, and Mr. Carton!"

Monsieur Madeleine stepped aside, and Fantine embraced Coronne with open arms. "Come in!" she said cheerfully.Behind her came Cosette, who first ran to M. Madeleine, then looked at Corona, and gave her a small smile.

When Coronne left Montreuil, Cosette was still a submissive, skinny little girl. Seeing that she had put on a lot of weight and finally looked like a normal little girl, she felt unspeakably happy in her heart. Time even diluted her apprehension about the upcoming talk.She went to take Cosette's hand, and stroked her hair with a smile.Fantine hurriedly let them into the room, but M. Madeleine left. "I'm just showing the way for Mr. Carton and Miss Corona." He said modestly.

He was still the mayor and had so many affairs that Fantine had to stand at the door to bid farewell to the mayor.Turning around, she embraced Cosette with one hand and Corona with the other. "Corona! I haven't seen you for a long time—I just heard you're busy in Paris. Have you succeeded as a painter? My sister is amazing! Are you not so busy now? You... "

She spoke more and more slowly, looked back and forth at the serious expressions on Caton and Corona's faces, and almost subconsciously brought Cosette behind her. "...Is there something you are here this time?"

"To be honest, I still don't know what's going on this time." Corona took her hand comfortingly, and accompanied her to sit on the small sofa in the living room, while Caton sat on the other side - opposite to them . "Sister, I don't think you know anything about our mother, do you? Do you have any... impressions about her?"

"I'm not at all," said Fantine, and the sheer absence made it possible for her to say it without even a pathos, but a blankness of ignorance.She looked at Carton. "You came this time to...do you have any news about our parents?"

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid I don't know who your father is." Caton said in a deep voice, "but yes, I know your mother. I think it is my responsibility to let her two daughters know the truth."

Corona almost held her breath, her hands clasped tightly unconsciously.Fantine put her arms around her daughter, and looked at him expectantly: "Tell me. Who is our mother?"

"Your mother, named Ramona Defarge, was the daughter of a Parisian tavern owner." Caton said slowly, "and I killed her."

"It's impossible!" Corona almost blurted out.

Carton ignored her. He almost maintained a calmness like stone carvings, and continued slowly: "In [-], my friend, Charles Darnay, received a letter asking him to Returned to China for investigation. He went to Paris, but was imprisoned as a criminal because he was a descendant of a nobleman..."

Contrary to the vague and perfunctory words of the past, he narrated the whole thing to them in detail and completely: he talked about going to France himself, seeing Darney was acquitted; The informant letter was in her parents' possession, and they managed to trick it out of her hands.He also told about the tragedy that happened in the tavern, and what they learned later in their search: Ramona had defected to relatives, worked as a weaver, and later became a prostitute. A child was entrusted to the Montreuil Orphanage, where Corona was born and died.In the intervening ten years, what kind of twists and turns she has gone through and what kind of suffering she has endured is an eternal mystery.

When they arrived in Montreuil, it was just after noon, and after Caton finished all this, the western sky was already dyed a faint crimson.The living room fell into a deathly silence, and neither Coronne nor Fantine could speak.Cosette clung to her mother's side, also daring not to make a sound.Corona opened her mouth: "You..."

After the words were out of her mouth, she realized that her voice was unbearably hoarse. She coughed quickly, but she didn't know what to say.Does she want to ask Carton, is all this true?No need, she understands Caton, what he said so seriously must be all the truth, and there will be no more deception.

She raised her eyes to Fantine, who was in a daze, and also said nothing.In a suffocating silence, Caton finally spoke again. "I don't think I have fulfilled my duty to Ramona; I have not fulfilled my duty to her two daughters well. If you have any complaints against me, I can fully understand. All compensation, as long as I can do my best, and I will agree to whatever you ask for. This is all I have to say, and what to do next, I think it should be up to you to decide. If you have negotiated, just let me know, and I will obey everything. "

He stood up, bowed to them, and went out the door.The door lock clicked, and Corona woke up. She jumped up suddenly and chased out the door.