[Masterpiece Les Miserables] Paris Sparks

For a while, Corona would feel like she was back in her childhood.

Of course, this is practically impossible.She is much busier now than she was when she was a child. All the things that Caton used to worry about in the past are all her to worry about now.But sometimes, when the sun is good, she helps Caton to take a walk in the garden; When Coronne drew the outline of a painting and triumphantly turned to Carton for praise, she seemed to be able to pretend that nothing had happened, that they hadn't been estranged for a while, and Carton had never been sick, She has never seen the suffering in the world, and she thought that life could go on happily like this forever.

The Darneys next door are not quite what they used to be: little Lucy and little Sidney are married.In order to accommodate his wife, little Sidney moved out after marriage, and the two of them lived in another small house closer to her natal home.Little Lucy also moved out after she got married, but because her husband was going to Germany on a business trip, which would last more than a year, she still came back to live for the time being.The relationship between their two families is still as close as ever. Although Corona has become much estranged from the Darney family in the past few years, it is not difficult to find the old warmth.

She still has love, wisdom, enough hard work and enough money to support her moving between the two countries.The only problem is that none of this is enough to sway God's will when it comes to life and death.

It's like once a dam that has been strong for a long time breaks down, it will be difficult to rebuild it as before.In the spring, Caton looked better, but as the summer wore on, he got weaker every day.In September he caught a cold again and developed a high fever.It was very easy to get the fever down, but he was also bedridden from then on.As the autumn passed and the harsh winter approached, Caton's illness became more and more serious day by day.After searching all the famous doctors in England, there was nothing else to do: just wait.

Lucy, Darnay, little Lucy, and little Sidney were all very anxious about it, not to mention Corona, who was by Caton's side almost every moment.However, in the anxiety of relatives and friends, Caton felt indescribable happiness.These days seemed to him back when Corona was young: she was not yet interested in those strange hobbies, hadn't buried herself in books and canvases, and hadn't been running outside all day.She has been staying here, beside him, and he is the only one in her world, pouring all her love and tenderness on him.His good friend, Darne; the woman he loved, Lucy; his two children whom he loved dearly, little Lucy, little Sidney, and his own daughter, Corona, all loved him, all Be by his side.

It was even better than then, because now he was going to die.He knew this himself, knew that he was about to face God's judgment and pay for all his sins in this life, so he no longer felt that every bit of happiness spent with her was stolen from other places and did not belong to him.Now Corona knows the truth, but she still loves him, even more than before, which Carton never dreamed of. He would rather exchange ten days in heaven for one day with Corona.

Corona could not experience such happiness.Carton is nearly seventy years old, and he is in his twilight years, not to mention that he planned to give up his life nearly 30 years ago.Now that he faces death, he feels extremely satisfied and happy when he has close friends, daughters, and someone who loves him sincerely.But Corona is only 16 years old. It is the youthful age when the flowers are just blooming and the spring is blooming. The endless life is unfolding before her eyes. How can she face death calmly?She was both sad and terrified in her heart, but seeing Caton being so happy every day, she just locked all her emotions in her chest and didn't show a single bit on her face.All her tears were shown in the form of smiles.

Therefore, it may seem strange to outsiders: as Carton became seriously ill day by day, this small family seemed to be happier day by day.All the stoves in the house were burning, and all the doors were wide open, so that wherever Corona went, Caton could hear her or see her.Lucy and Dane almost moved here, and Lucy is responsible for all three meals a day.Corona has cut off almost everything else now—her only remaining habits are reading and drawing.She would read the books recommended by Combeferre that she would like to read to him beside Caton's pillow, and she would casually tell him what she didn't understand or what she felt when she read them.Carton smiled and listened to her reading, as if returning to the days when Corona just started to learn to read, and the father and daughter used the study together ten years ago.

When the first snow fell in winter, Caton's health got worse.Sometimes when Corona was reading, she found that he had fallen asleep at some point.So she later moved the drawing board to his ward: In order not to disturb the pungent smell of the paint, she deliberately placed the drawing board by the door, and carefully chose the angle so that Katon could see her side face and at the same time Ability to see the contents of the large canvas on the artboard.

Carton's eyes are not very good. In order to let him see clearly, Coronna chose a very large canvas, almost as tall as her entire body.She stepped on a small stool to paint, spreading large swathes of brown and shades of green on the canvas.The canvas was too big, and she was drawing slowly while chatting casually. On the first day, she only completed a rough background.Carton asked her, "What did you draw?"

Corona turned to him and smiled. "Draw you."

Gradually she began to outline a human figure above the background.That wasn't the white-haired Caton lying on a hospital bed today, that was him when he was young: even younger than when Corona was adopted.The person on the screen looked to be in his thirties, with dark skin, dark brown hair tied behind his head, and dressed in neat and plain black clothes.He stood in the midsummer garden, with violets, hydrangeas, and wild roses blooming at his feet.

"This is our garden." Caton recognized as Corona began to paint the petals.

"Yes."

"Then it should be you."

"it is good."

She relentlessly covered large areas of already painted areas with paint, changing the layout of the picture.She added a little gray hair to Caton, but did not change his face much. He was young and gentle in the painting, and there was no trace of being tortured by a cruel fate.He held a little blonde girl with one hand, who looked no more than six or seven years old, and was wearing a light blue dress that Corona used to wear when she was a child.The little girl held a hydrangea in her other hand and was handing it to him, and Caton smiled at her.

She painted slowly for a long time, meticulously tracing every strand of hair, every button and every petal, drawing the lines on those petals and the texture of the fabric of the clothes.While drawing, I chatted with Caton about the past: talking about her childhood, about Caton’s journey to pursue Ramona (now Caton can finally talk to her without any scruples), and about Caton and Darius. The past when Nei and Lucy met (it was a long time ago), and chatted about little Lucy and little Sidney when they were young.She painted the petals of the hydrangea with bright light pink and light blue, and added an unworldly smile to the corner of the little girl's mouth. She used the golden sunlight to illuminate the profile of Caton's face warmly and brightly, as if drawing a dream , to draw a never-ending summer.

From time to time, she would put down the paintbrush, feed him, turn over, wipe his body, and change the bedding. She insisted on doing all the things that a nurse should do, only because she could use the gentlest force.Therefore, the progress of this painting was extremely slow, and she painted almost the whole winter.

That day finally came on January [-], [-].It was a sunny day, and the sun streamed in through the tulle curtains.Corona concentrated on painting the subtle light and shadow on the leaves for a while, and estimated that the painting would be finished soon.Inadvertently, she turned her head once and found that Carton was leaning on the pillow and looking at her.He has been drowsy more and more in recent days, but now he seems to be in a particularly good spirit.

"You're awake! You didn't call me." Corona put down her paintbrush, snuggled up to his window, and touched his forehead with the inside of her wrist that wasn't stained with paint.Carton reached up and grabbed her hand, his fingers were cold. "Get Lucy for me, will you?" he asked softly.

Corona understood almost immediately.

She hated herself for being so smart that she had figured it out.She hated disease and God for taking her father away so soon.Can't you stay a little longer?Stay with me a little longer?Please go on living, please go on living!Her lips trembled, and finally only one word came out.

"Good," she said.

Then she reluctantly let go of Caton's hand, and started running out of the room.She jumped over the low fence between the two houses and threw herself on the door next door.The door was unlocked, and it slammed open, hitting the wall with a loud bang.Corona almost didn't fall, she staggered forward a few steps, and almost fell into the arms of little Lucy who ran out in a hurry.Before she could stand still, she took little Lucy's hand with both hands.

Little Lucy understood it all when she looked at her face.All the blush faded from the face of the beautiful young woman and turned pale. "Mom!" she yelled into the room, "Daddy!"

Corona and she supported an old man and hurried out of the house.When they arrived at the gate of the garden, they bumped into little Sidney who opened the door and came in with a beaming smile on his face.Several people stood facing each other, he stopped and looked at them, the smile disappeared from his face like a cloud swept away by a strong wind. "how……"

"Brother Sidney." Corona said, her voice was choked with sobs, and she realized that she didn't know when she was crying, "Come on!"

She handed Lucy who was holding her hand to little Sidney, then picked up her skirt and ran back again.Carton looked at the door and smiled when he saw her running back.She knelt by the bed and he wiped her tear-stained cheeks with limp fingers. "Don't cry, my little Corona. Don't cry."

However, all of a sudden, it seemed as if the tears accumulated in her heart for the whole winter finally gushed out, and her tears rolled down, and she couldn't wipe them off.Corona choked and nodded, and buried her face in the corner of Caton's quilt, and the fabric was immediately wet.At this moment, Darne and Lucy finally rushed to the door—for a 70-year-old man, their speed can already be regarded as galloping.The two rushed to the other side of the bed, and each stretched out a hand to hold Carton's hand tightly.Little Lucy and little Sidney stood behind them.

"My friend, my brother!" Darnay called, and then fell silent, as if an overwhelming emotion had choked him in the throat.A line of tears flowed down Lucy's wrinkled cheeks, and she took Carton's hand with her fingers.

"Don't be sad for me! I'm happy," Carton said, with a faint smile on his face, the kind of smile that still bears the imprint of years of sadness, but has faded. I have obtained far more happiness than I deserve. I did not call you here to make you sad, but I still have something to say. I have made a will, notarized it, and put it on the second desk of my desk. In a drawer. Everything I have in Paris, including titles, deposits, houses and fields, and some bonds, are all left to Coronne. My savings in Tellson's Bank of England, this house, and the house All utensils and books are left to the Darney family, except that the things in Corona's house are still at her disposal."

"No, please don't say that!" said Darnay. "You'll be all right, Sidney, and spring's coming soon, and you'll live, and your happy days are too short!"

"On the contrary, God loves me enough." Caton said with a smile, "Lucy... thank you for keeping my secret... thank you for being willing to keep it..."

"It is I who should thank you." Lucy said with tears. "My gratitude and friendship to you will never be exhausted!"

Carton smiled slightly when she said the word "friendship".It was like a sad smile, but with a look of satisfaction.He turned his head to Corona: "Please don't blame me for not leaving this house to you, my child."

Corona raised her face from the corner of the quilt. "Oh, I don't care, Papa! I'd rather have nothing if you get well!"

"I leave you my property in Paris, because I know you want to go there," Carton said, his voice weak and distant, "you should go there. France is your country. You belong to Paris... go, Corona, nothing is stopping you now..."

Corona let out a heartbroken whimper, pressed her face to his hand, and kissed him tearfully.Little Sidney took a deep breath suddenly, "I came home today to tell you that Mary Ann is pregnant. We are about to have a baby."

This seems to make Caton's soul, which has gradually faded away, pulled back to the world for a moment.He was too weak to speak, but looked at little Sidney with eyes that were still bright. "If it was a boy, I would give him your name. I would take him to Paris, to Paris where there are no guillotines and revolutions, and tell him your story. I will, please believe that little Lucy It will be so. So will Corona. I will make him a just and upright man, and let him always have respect for you in his heart..."

Caton exhaled lightly.It was like a laugh, a sigh, a last breath, the afterglow that a soul leaves in the world.One of his hands was held in Darne's and Lucy's, and the other was kissed tearfully by Corona.He died, with his eyes closed and a smile on his face.The sunlight outside the window cast a layer of gold on the corner of his bed.

Corona was pulled up from the numbness.

She was reluctant to let go of that hand, but eventually she had to.There were people around her talking, crying, towards her or not.She was dragged to change clothes, recomb her hair, and was dragged from inside to outside, and from outside to inside.Sometimes there is silence all around, and sometimes it is a bustle.When someone told her to wipe her face, she would wipe her face, and if she was told to walk, she would follow.Time passed gradually, but it was meaningless to her.Until she was pulled back into the room, suddenly she was standing in front of Caton's bed again.

Caton was still lying on the bed, but he was no longer covered with a quilt.He was lying on the crisp white sheets, wearing his best black suit, which set off his graying hair.His hands were placed on his chest, clasped together, still with that familiar smile on his face.

As if awakened from sleepwalking, Corona slowly approached the bed. "Dad." She called softly, but there was no response.She stretched out her hand to touch his finger, and retracted as soon as she touched it: the finger was as cold as ice, a temperature that could never be found in a living person.She had never felt so cold, and the touch seemed to linger on her fingertips, which made her feel scared. "Dad," she called.

Caton no longer opened his eyes to respond to her.There was a bit of golden paint on his wrist, and Coronna reached out to wipe it off. The paint was already dry and couldn't be wiped off, so she stopped.

She didn't shed tears, her tears had already run out.She just felt a numb calm, as if she were in an unreal world, in a blank void.Someone came in, and little Lucy sobbed and hugged her and held her by the shoulders, someone came in and carried Carton into the coffin, and she followed them out and back again.

All these matters cannot be done in one time, and they can only be transported to the cemetery for burial the next morning.Corona followed little Lucy, listening to them discuss various matters, arrange priests and doctors, and talk to government officials.She listened quietly, answering when needed.In this way, until six o'clock in the evening, the talents gradually dispersed, and all kinds of procedures were completed.

She went back to Caton's bedroom and looked around.She has spent most of her life in this house, but at this moment, she doesn't seem to know it.The easel placed at the door was knocked over in the fuss, leaning against the wall, and the color in the paint tray was like a mass of melted and solidified gold.In the painting, a young Caton stands in a midsummer garden, smiling, with the light and shadow cast by the leaves on his cheeks.

The author has something to say: a summary for readers who have never read "A Tale of Two Cities" or who have read it for too long and can't remember clearly: Carton has a crush on Lucy for most of his life, but Lucy and Darne are in love with each other, and he is unwilling to destroy them feelings, there has been no actual action.He later confessed his feelings to Lucy and asked her to keep it a secret forever from anyone else.

Here he refers to this "thank you for keeping my secret" to Lucy.