[Masterpiece Les Miserables] Paris Sparks

Caton took Corona to the factory overnight.

He wrapped a piece of white bread for Corona, and he didn't even have time to eat dinner.It was very late when they arrived at the factory, but there were still people inside. They asked the gatekeeper for directions, and when they hurried past, they saw lights on in the nursing room.A nun came out of the house and was surprised to see them.She looked at Corona, and asked respectfully, "Is this lady the one who guided Mr. Mayor at night?"

"It is I," replied Coronne, pleased to know that the mayor had indeed instructed the nuns about this, and assured her that she would be able to visit Fantine.

"Then you are her father?" the nun asked Carton again.

Carton didn't make a sound, just nodded.Mammy turned to make way for them: "Go in, please. Mr. Mayor and the poor girl are inside."

The two pushed the door open and entered the house.There are three beds in the convalescent room, and the beds are separated by cloth curtains, but now the curtains are drawn, and the other two beds are all empty.Fantine was sleeping in a bed near the window, and the nuns had wiped and changed her clothes, and now she looked pale and emaciated against the clean clothes and sheets.The people in the room looked towards the door, and when Fantine saw Corona, she called out joyfully, and stretched out her hand to her.But M. Madeleine's reaction was more violent: he stood up suddenly, took a few steps towards the door, and knocked down a stool.

"Mr Carton!"

He uttered the name with great reverence and gratitude, in a tone as if a devotee were calling a saint.Corona had heard some stories about Jean Valjean from Caton, and she was not surprised, but the nun standing at the door was stunned.She looked at the mayor, and then at the old gentleman who had just arrived, and she couldn't understand how anyone could deserve the respect of the mayor.After the initial surprise passed, Mr. Madeleine noticed Corona: "So you are the father of this child?"

Carton still didn't answer directly, but just nodded.He took a few steps towards the bed, his eyes fixed on Fantine.Although Fantine now had almost no hair on her head, except that she was bald and wore a hat, it could still be vaguely seen from the new hair that had just grown out of her temples that her hair was as golden as Corona's. "And your hair?" he asked kindly.

Fantine did not understand the purpose of this gentleman's visit, and looked anxiously at M. Madeleine.Since Madeleine listened to her so kindly, did not pursue her offense, and promised to take Cosette to reunite with her, his image in her mind has completely changed, and she subconsciously regards him as a reliable person , and regained the trust he once had in him.M. Madeleine nodded to her, and she replied: "Sold."

Carton's cheeks twitched slightly, as if he was holding back some intense emotion.He approached her slowly again: "Did you grow up in the Montreuil orphanage?"

"I'm."

"May I ask which year you were adopted by the orphanage?"

"I... I don't know. I grew up on the street for as long as I can remember."

"So, do you remember how old you are?"

"I don't know either...20s, maybe?"

"Which nanny adopted you into the orphanage, do you still have any memory?"

"Oh, it's Sister Rosa. I remember her. She named me."

Carton took a deep breath. "That's right, it was Sister Rosa who directed me to you. Corona, didn't you ask me who Fantine was?"

Corona nodded, and Fantine tightly wrapped the quilt with her hands. "You came to me? Why did you come to me? I swear to you, sir, that I am a decent woman. I have done nothing against the law."

Carton shook his head: "I came to you only because I adopted Corona and treated her as my daughter." He said kindly, "Corona, Fantine is your sister."

Everyone in the room, except for Caton, was stunned.

"My sister?" cried Corona, almost jumping up. "I—but—I have a sister? How did you know she was my sister? If you knew, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Fantine was even more terrified. "I... Monsieur, I'm afraid you're mistaken. I'm an orphan... How can I have a sister? So, do you know who my parents are?"

"I know, if you don't believe me, I have Bishop Mirière's handwritten letter as proof, and I brought the letter here." Carton said, pulling out a slightly yellowed but well-preserved letter from his jacket pocket , handed over.

Fantine took the letter with trembling hands, Coronne hastened to her bedside, and M. Madeleine walked behind them.The letter is not long, and it briefly summarizes one thing: when Bishop Mirière made a dying confession to a Sister Rosa, Sister Rosa admitted to him that she had violated the regulations of the orphanage in [-] , took over a daughter named Fantine from a young girl, and raised her in an orphanage.In [-], the same girl named Ramona gave birth to another daughter in the orphanage, named her Corona, and died.Corona was adopted soon after, and Sister Rosa didn't know if the adopter was willing to adopt or help Fantine, but if it was revealed that Fantine and Corona were sisters, it would mean that she had violated the rules , so he kept it a secret until he died.When Bishop Myriel learned of the incident, he found the adoption records from the Montreuil Orphanage and wrote to Caton, asking if he wanted to find or help another child.

But the shock that this short letter brought to the three of them was indescribable. "After receiving the letter, Charles Dane and I, a friend of mine, rushed to Bas-Alpes overnight and met the bishop, who personally confirmed this to us." Carton continued, " After that we looked for Montreuil, but the locals said that Fantine went to work in Paris, so we kept looking in Paris, but we didn't know you had come back here. Thank God, Coronne met today you."

"So, my mother—so my mother's name was Ramona," murmured Fantine.

So Ramona was indeed their mother!Corona was all too familiar with this name and this letter.She clearly remembered the evening when she received the letter, Carton slumped pale on the sofa, and she ran out barefoot to eavesdrop after they sent her to bed and heard the name Ramona.I also remember that Carton and Darne rushed to Paris overnight and did not return for nearly half a year.It turned out that it was not to find her mother, but to find her sister.

"Yes." Carton replied, "Korona is like my own daughter, you are her sister, if you need it in the future, I will do my best to help you. If you want to stay here or move to Live with her in Paris, it's up to you. I heard you have a child, and we can help to bring her here."

Fantine opened her eyes wide, from him to the letter in her hand. "I—I can't believe it—is it true? I really have a sister?"

"Don't you want it? As soon as I met you this afternoon, I felt kind. Sister! So you are really my own sister!"

Corona had already burst into a smile, threw herself on her body, and hugged her.Fantine embraced her too, buried her face in the golden hair on top of her head, and cried and laughed.

"I have a younger sister! So I have a mother, and I have a younger sister. I have a family!"

She laughed and laughed, then suddenly bent down again and coughed, and Corona hurriedly supported her.After coughing for a while, M. Madeleine bent down and said to her gently: "You are still sick, so you shouldn't get too excited. It's already late, you go to rest first, and if you have any questions, talk to me tomorrow. How do you feel?" "

Fantine nodded obediently, but held Corona's hand tightly, unwilling to let go.Corona has been cared by her family since she was a child, and the Darnay family is also equivalent to her relatives. She is not so excited about having an extra sister, but seeing Fantine so inseparable, she is also reluctant to part with her.She raised her head and asked M. Madeleine: "I see that you have two unoccupied beds here. If it is convenient, would you agree to let me stay here for a night?"

M. Madeleine readily agreed. "I'll find out about your children and your expulsion from the factory," he told Fantine.

"I'll go with you," said Carton.

Mr. Madeleine naturally fully agreed to his request, but Corona frowned worriedly: "Are you going to investigate overnight?"

Carton nodded. "You rest here and don't worry."

Corona pursed her lips, knowing that it would be useless to persuade her father at this time: "Then you promise me to come back earlier to rest."

She pestered Caton to agree, and made a promise before letting him go out.The two gentlemen went out one after another, before Coronna calmed down from the excitement, remembering the dinner she hadn't eaten yet.So she took out the hastily wrapped piece of bread, leaned on the table and ate the bread slowly.Fantine, who was used to hard times, did not take it seriously, but the nurse in the room cried out: "Oh, have you not had time to eat your supper yet?"

"Because I was in a hurry to come here. Look, didn't I bring it here?" Corona smiled at her.

The nun was determined not to allow it, and despite Corona's repeated pleas not to bother her, she went out to prepare dinner for Corona.As soon as the door was closed, only the two sisters were left in the room.Fantine asked in a low voice: "Is that gentleman the one who adopted you?"

"Well, he took me away when I was very young, so I don't remember anything about the orphanage." Corona replied, "He's been like my father ever since I can remember." .”

"Why did he adopt you?" asked Fantine curiously.

Corona paused. "I don't know." She said casually.

Caton spoke today as if he was looking for Fantine only for Corona, to find her sister.However, Corona knew in her heart that this was not the case.She still vividly remembered the fragments she had heard back then, when Darnay said they were all "responsible" to Ramona.Obviously, Caton adopted her for Ramona's sake; he sought Fantine for the same reason.

Of course, she would not blame Caton for this. No matter what the reason is, Caton's love and teaching for her over the years are beyond reproach.However, after reuniting with her sister, the doubts in Corona's heart did not diminish, but became more urgent.

What on earth did Ramona have to do with them?Does it have anything to do with the fact that Caton saved Dane's life back then?What kind of love do they owe her, so they are still chasing after so many years?

She knew that the answer could be various, and she also knew that the possibility of the answer she hoped for was extremely slim.But now that she knows that Ramona is her mother, she also knows that Caton has never been married for many years.Corona loves Caton so much that she couldn't help but have such a hope in her heart:

Sidney Carton, could it really be my real father?