[Masterpiece Les Miserables] Paris Sparks

"Cole!"

Combeferre stepped forward to meet her, and they embraced. "Enjolras and I are both worried about you, especially Enjolras, who hasn't heard from you yet," said Combeferre, looking at her with undisguised concern, "you Are you ok?"

"It's better than when I wrote to you." Corona smiled wryly, "I'm sorry that I just came back from England-we had agreed before that when you and Enjolras came to Paris to study, I would give you a tour guide."

"Don't worry about it! I can assure you that I have survived the past six months in Paris and have not lost my way to Italy." Combeferre joked, "Want to visit the school I study at?"

Corona paused.

She had expected that she would be happy to agree to whatever Combeferre suggested, but she was surprised to find that she was not so keen.The University of Paris is beautiful, maybe.Combeferre would also be an excellent guide.But she couldn't go there anyway.And, based on what she knew about Combeferre, he would definitely persuade her to go to college—he didn't know that "Cole Carton" couldn't get into college at all.How should she explain this?

She had been looking forward to seeing Combeferre for a long time indeed.But almost as soon as they met, she began to miss getting along with Anne——she missed the friendship that could reveal herself unabashedly without making excuses.

"Farewell—isn't today your holiday, Combeferre? I haven't seen a schoolboy who is happy to be at school during the holidays." She laughed, almost hating her pretense.But she still didn't have the courage to tell the truth—maybe one day, definitely one day she would confess to them!But not yet. "Didn't we say before that we want to explore the half of Paris that I haven't been to? Come on, try to take me to a place that I haven't been to."

Combeferre hardly paused to think. "Oh, I'm not sure if you've been--but I know a place you'd like. Have you been to Collins?"

"Collins?" Corona asked, turning and walking side by side with him on a road she was not yet familiar with.

"A tavern. It's close to the factory district, and a few friends and I used to hang out there."

"It sounds like you've met a lot of friends." Corona laughed.This did not surprise her at all: Combeferre could be friends with almost anyone in the world if he wanted to.

"Not many, but each one is too late! I really can't wait for Enjolras to come to Paris," said Combeferre, with a bright smile that dispelled the maturity of his age. And calm, making him look like a young man full of youth, "When Enjolras and I met in middle school, it felt as if we were the only two people who felt that the world was unfair, except for those sages we knew through books. Feel that we should make the world a better place. Everyone else seems to be indifferent. But in Paris - we met you first, and met so many young people with ambition. So many people in this world have the same ideals! As if we Suddenly it wasn't so lonely—no, not at all, it was like the world was full of our brothers and sisters!"

Corona was infected by his enthusiasm.She also laughed: "It's the first time I've seen you so excited, Combeferre.... But, speaking of it, I don't really have much time to 'see' you." After thinking about it, she added.

"Really!" said Combeferre, full of wonder, "this is only the second time we have met—but Enjolras and I seem to know you very well. Speaking of which, the book we mentioned in our last letter Have you read the book? Enjolras is very picky about the history in it, and I want to hear your opinion. Sometimes your perspective on history is very different from ours. "

"...not yet." Corona said, she felt like a child caught by the teacher and didn't do her homework, "I'm too busy! Since a few months ago... one thing after another, I've been I was not in the mood at first, but then I didn’t have the time.” She secretly thought about the banquets she would attend, the aristocratic social gatherings she would re-engage in, the various properties that were in a mess due to the loss of the nobility’s inheritance rights, and the plan to teach Anne to read... "Honestly, I don't think I'll have time to read for a long time," she admitted with a sigh.

"That's all right! Books are supposed to bring pleasure, not pain. But you should take care of yourself, Cole."

Coronna knew what she looked like in the eyes of Combeferre: at their age, the height gap between men and women was already very obvious. Compared with Combeferre, she was thin, short and pitiful when she was disguised as a man. , and even make people suspect that she is malnourished.She felt a little guilty for this, but she couldn't explain it, so she could only silently promise again in her heart: one day she would tell Combeferre the truth! "Don't worry about me," she said with a forced smile.

Combeferre obviously interpreted her forced smile to mean something quite different, but he did not press the question, changing the subject: "Enjolras' father wants him to enter the seminary."

Coronne laughed out loud. "Enjolras? The seminary? God—I can imagine how he and the seminary teachers would torture each other!"

"That's exactly what Enjolras said! 'Me and the teachers of the seminary will only torture each other. What good will it do me or society?' I have never seen him quarrel with his parents so violently! Previous He didn't even go home during the holidays, and ran to my house to stay temporarily."

Corona's smile disappeared, "You didn't mention it to me in your letter." She complained worriedly.

"You were having a harder time than us at that time. Why should you worry so much? Besides, Enjolras was not an obedient child since he was a child. He had quarreled with his parents many times, and he would always manage to achieve his goal in the end. I I have never seen a more stubborn and determined person than Enjolras."

"So, what does he want to study? -- don't answer! I guess he's never interested in literature. He's done a lot in philosophy, but he doesn't necessarily want philosophy as a university major. Medicine and pharmacy, Maybe, but if he wanted to study medicine, I'd have heard you mention it. So I guess he's going to choose law or mechanics. Is that right?"

"Why, you have only corresponded with us for more than a year, and you already know Enjolras as well as I do!" Combeferre laughed, "That's right, he wants to take the École Polytechnique. If he doesn't succeed, The University of Paris is his second choice."

"Use Paris University Law School as an alternative. What an enviable talent." Corona smiled and shook her head. "If I didn't already know you, I would have thought you were showing off."

"Enjolras was never one to show off, I don't think this word appeared in his dictionary at all. But don't you think he actually has enough bragging rights?"

"If he didn't, no one in the world would have the right to show off! He's a perfect person," Corona said.

This sentence slipped out of her mouth easily, and she didn't even feel that there was anything wrong with it for a moment-this is the truth that should be taken for granted, Enjolras is perfect.He has such a beautiful appearance, outstanding talent, fearless courage, firm will and noble heart.He was learned without being haughty, bold without being reckless.But Combeferre laughed in surprise: "I didn't know you thought so highly of him."

Corona almost asked him back: Isn't that true for you?Don't you think he's perfect?But she sees the genuine surprise on Combeferre's face, and she realizes that Combeferre really doesn't think Enjolras is perfect.He has a very close friendship with Enjolras, and he has the highest evaluation of Enjolras, but he doesn't even think Enjolras is perfect.

Corona felt incredible for a moment.Combeferre is by no means a critical and demanding person. He can always find the good side in others. If he doesn't even think that Enjolras is a perfect person, then...

The sudden realization hit her hard.

—is this how Basil looked at Dorian Gray? !

How many times she could not understand Basil's love for Dorian Gray, how many times she silently wished that Basil could see Dorian Gray for who he was, and be free from the blinding emotions.Did she also follow in the footsteps of her teacher?

The very thought sent chills down her spine.Fortunately, Combeferre was talking about the students he knew at the university with great interest, and did not notice her absence.Corona took a slow and deep breath, trying to calm down her heartbeat that suddenly accelerated.

Enjolras was her muse, so what?What's so bad about that?Just because Basil Howard's muse brought him both artistic inspiration and endless sadness doesn't mean Enjolras did the same to her.Besides, how could Dorian Gray and Enjolras be compared!Dorian Gray was nothing but a pretty face, but Enjolras was so noble, so clever, and so high-minded.

She quickly convinced herself.When she followed Combeferre to the tavern called Collins near the Great Market, her mood had completely calmed down.The windows of the tavern are not too big, although the sunlight is very good, the light on the first floor is still very dim.However, Combeferre seemed to be very familiar with this place, and was not bothered by the dim light at all.He walked around the low wooden table familiarly, walked to a table in the corner, and gently pushed the shoulder of the person lying on the table.

"Grantaire! I've brought a new friend."

The drunk on the table looked up, and Corona was almost taken aback.

Nothing else, but she had never seen such an ugly person.Especially when she was only thinking about Enjolras in her mind a moment ago, the impact of the contrast was particularly strong when she first saw such an ugly person.The drunk raised his hand and rubbed his eyes: "Why, it's already the second day?"

"It's only afternoon!" reproached Combeferre mildly. "Have you been drinking since morning, Grantaire?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that, don't people start living in the morning? Some people choose to read poetry in the morning, some sleep in the morning, some waste time to attend those boring classes, and me, I drink in the morning, Drink from morning to night. Don't you claim that man has always the right to live as he wants, Combeferre?"

"Okay, Grantaire, I'm not here to criticize your lifestyle. I'm just thinking from a medical student's point of view that it's not good for your health- anyway, come to know, this is mine Friend, Grantaire, a drunkard, is also a passionate painter. Grantaire, this is Cole, is also a painter, and often has very original and profound insights."

"Ah, another painter? That would be great. Too much philosophy and passion and too little moaning in this place. Come on! Let me buy you a drink."

"If you're looking for a drinking buddy, you're probably going to be disappointed. I hardly drink," Corona said, sitting down across from him.

"Alas!" Grantaire sighed loudly. "Well, don't say I didn't invite you, gentlemen. Then I'll have some more fun for myself."

There were several bottles of wine beside him, he picked up one and downed most of it in one go.The movement brought down the empty bottles piled up next to them, and several bottles rolled to the edge of the table and fell down. Corona bent down nimbly, one in each hand, and picked up the bottles before they fell to the ground.Grantaire belches and gives her the thumbs up. "Beautiful!" he praised, and then took another big gulp.

Corona frowned slightly and put the empty bottle back on the table. She glanced at Combeferre and saw that he also had a look of disapproval, but no one said anything more.After a pause, Corona asked, "So, how did you meet?"