[Masterpiece Les Miserables] Paris Sparks

The winter of [-] passed, and so did the next year, [-].

30 was in every respect a year of celebration: Fantine turned thirty, Corona turned twenty.Corona's large painting depicting a Parisian market was bought by a British collector for the highest price ever paid for her painting, which she used to quietly buy a well-growing vineyard , attributed to Fantine, as a gift to celebrate her learning to manage a manor independently.Fantine could not refuse, but finally accepted.Corona could see that the two sisters had different ideas: Fantine only regarded herself as helping to take care of the manor, and she took it for granted that Corona still had the right to control all the income; but what Corona really wanted to do was to give Fantine has an insurance policy, a guarantee that can keep her life worry-free even if she is gone.But she was in no hurry: Fantine's present success was enough to please her.

The first batch of students in the literacy class finally announced their graduation after two years of study.Most of them have found a new livelihood: more than half of them have become maids of wealthy families, and maids who can read and write are paid much more than maids who can only do menial work who cannot read.Among them was a young girl who had studied some books before, and the most outstanding young girl even became the governess of a rich family.Others had different fortunes: Marianne found work as a warehouse keeper at an art gallery.The elderly Caroline attended the advanced class intermittently, but she persevered. She ended up in a school where she was responsible for boiling water, cleaning and ringing the school bell. Find someone who can read and write.Clare still worked in the original factory, but changed from weaving to copying for others every night, earning five sous a day.

Annie is still working in the factory, but changed to another factory: the money is not too much, but the time is more free.The substituting fee that Corona paid her was already worth her salary.Candlesticks, bed sheets, pillows, and two old wooden boxes were added to the dark, empty room. Inside were a few sweaters and skirts, which were used as tables and chairs on weekdays, and half-empty inkwells, a pen, and scissors were placed on them. An exercise book made from scraps of paper tailored in the West.There is also a small round mirror and a head flower, which were gifts from Corona.There are two paintings carefully pasted on the wall: one is a portrait of Anne the size of a palm, which was a prize for those who performed well in a test.The other one was specially drawn by Corona on a certain birthday. On it, two girls sat with their heads leaning against each other intimately.

This was what Coronne saw when she visited Anne's house in the spring of [-].It was a drizzling Sunday, Annie didn't have to go to work, and Corona didn't have any party invitations. They leaned side by side on the simple straw bed, chatting and looking around, and Corona suddenly realized that the two The changes accumulated bit by bit over the years - the impoverished slum she saw for the first time has turned into a simple but well-equipped small house at some point.

"What are you thinking?" Annie noticed her distraction and asked.Corona told her how she felt, and Anne laughed.

"Why, this is a great benefactor who came to me to ask for compliments!" She said, nudging Corona affectionately with her elbow, "Isn't it thanks to you?"

Corona smiled shyly and proudly.Even for the humblest person, the joy and sense of accomplishment gained from helping others is hard to restrain. Although Corona always reminded herself to put Anne on an equal footing, she could see with her own eyes how much she felt for a person. Life has exerted such an enormous influence that it is impossible to be without a little complacency. "Really?" she said softly.

This was not a question sentence, so Annie didn't respond.

"...But, to be honest, we all have to thank you." After a while, she suddenly said very seriously, "I don't like to take favors from others—I have helped you a lot, so that's it. Leaving aside—but you are the only one willing to come and teach us how to read. You have no idea how much this means to many people."

Corona smiled.

Suddenly she thought of Enjolras.

Ah, not just Enjolras.And Combeferre, Jehan, Feuilly, Joly... all those friends who have cared about the poor, who have cared about education, who have been enthusiastic about giving advice on this matter.For more than a year, she thought of them less and less, and every time she thought of them, she gradually felt no resentment and bitterness in her heart.And in this moment, when she thought of them, she was filled with pure joy.

--Look, my friends.See what we've done!Look at these dozen or so small and rare female workers whose fate has been changed by knowledge!

This is no earth-shattering feat.But this is the realization of their free talks and ideals, the verification of the theories they have discussed enthusiastically, and a small step towards the future that they all look forward to.Many nights, they looked forward to the future scene together in Collins, dreaming of a bright twentieth century, and now, with her own power, she painted a little bit of color in the corner of this grand picture.

Although she can no longer share all this with her friends, it still makes her feel sincerely happy to think of it——

This made Corona feel relieved.

How can a friendship leave only pain and no joy?When she gradually calmed down, she could see that what ABC friends left for her was more support than pain.They hit her inadvertently, which is good; but it is still undeniable that they once encouraged her when she was most confused, and guided her when she knew nothing about revolution and various advanced ideas.Even though the relationship is broken now, she still feels warm in her heart when she thinks back to the past relationship.

If things went on like this, in a few years—not much, maybe just a year or two—she might find them again.Maybe a few more batches of students graduated from the female workers' literacy class at that time, so that she could have enough confidence to face any reaction from them.Maybe then she'll apologize to them, argue with them, and get back together.

But the riot of [-] derailed everything.

The riots of April, [-], have spent little in the history books of later generations.

After all, in terms of scale and effectiveness, there is nothing special about it.And there have been too many revolutions in Paris, the French Revolution, the revolutions of [-] and [-], this small disturbance, which was suppressed almost immediately, hardly ever It is necessary to record.

However, mortals in it, after all, have no way to escape, and always look at the living things around them with the eyes of historians.

In late March, Corona obviously felt her heart fluctuate when she was in class.You must know that those who come to class on their own initiative are studious and enterprising female workers, especially those who can go to intermediate and advanced classes. Many people doze off in class because of fatigue, and it is extremely rare for them to be sober and unable to attend class. rare.Therefore, she was aware of this situation and came to a conclusion almost immediately. "Is something going to happen recently?" She stopped the lecture and asked.

She has already won the trust of almost all the female workers, and no one treats her as an outsider because of her wealthy family.As soon as she asked, some female workers answered frankly in a low voice: "We are planning a revolution!"

She used "we" instead of "they".Corona looked around the classroom. "Among you, does anyone want to participate?" She asked without haste.

No one answered immediately this time, but many people showed hesitation.The female worker who answered first boldly asked: "Do you support our revolution?"

She was a freckled girl, and very young, even younger than Corona.Corona weighed her words carefully, and she also hesitated. "I don't know." Finally, she said frankly, "I would like to participate in the revolution myself, and I also think that the revolution is beneficial in the end. In fact, I talked about the history of the French Revolution in the course, and I talked about many points of view, maybe Already supporting your revolution. But fighting is risky. Many of you here already have children of your own to take care of, and I hope, at least, you are not taking such risks recklessly."

After a pause, she said again: "As for this revolution, at least for now, I don't recommend you to participate. I also hope that you can tell your family and friends and ask them to think carefully. Frankly speaking, I am The prospects for this revolution are not promising, it will be nothing more than a massacre, another strike, and sooner or later it will be suppressed by the military and police.”

"Why do you say that?" Another female worker asked curiously.

"Because there was no response from the nobles." Corona said, "Before this, I didn't even hear the slightest bit of wind. Of course, it can also be said that this is because the news was kept very tight--I also know that there are many The aristocracy is indeed stupid. However, as an individual aristocrat can be ignorant; but as a ruling class, there must be a reason for maintaining its ruling position and not being overthrown. If all the advance preparations have not even the slightest ripple If there is not even an iota of unrest or doubt, can this revolution actually make such a big wave? I don’t expect it.”

This remark stirred up a murmur among the female workers.Corona waited patiently for the murmur to die down. "In this case, let's adjust the order of the courses. Please turn to page No.30 of the textbook. Today we will talk about the French Revolution."

Before the chapter on the French Revolution was finished, the rape happened.

That day was Wednesday, which happened to be the day when the literacy class was in class.Corona stepped into the classroom and found that there were five people missing in the intermediate class.She frowned and asked, "Where's Kaian?"

"Went to the revolution with her brother."

"Susie?"

"Her husband was on strike. She was worried and said she would stay at home."

She asked by name one by one, and among the five female workers, only one asked for leave because of her child's illness, and the absence of the other four was all because of this "revolutionary incident."Corona stood on the podium, feeling relieved and worried at the same time.

Of course, she would like to see women workers join the revolution and fight for their own rights and the rights of all poor people.But they are real people, getting along day and night, and she has to worry that any of them will be injured or even sacrificed.

"Are any of you capable of shooting?" she asked.

About a third of the arms are raised.

"So, the rest of you, do you want to learn guns?"

The remaining female workers responded enthusiastically to her.This enthusiasm is so familiar, it is exactly the same as the enthusiasm she had when she learned that she could learn to shoot.It made her think of Enjolras with a smile.

Where is he?Will he take part in this strike too?

"Okay," she said, turning, picked up the pen, and began to outline the pistol on the black-painted board.