Les Misérables, v. 1/5: Fantine

by Victor Hugo

  CHAPTER II.

  FANTINE IS HAPPY.

  She gave no start of surprise, no start of joy, for she was joy itself.The simple question--"And Cosette?" was asked in such profound faith,with so much certainty, with such an utter absence of anxiety anddoubt, that he could not find a word to say. She continued,--

  "I knew you were there, for though I was asleep, I saw. I have seen youfor a long time, and have been following you with my eyes all night;you were in a glory, and had around you all sorts of heavenly faces."

  She looked up to the crucifix.

  "But," she continued, "tell me where Cosette is? Why was she not laidin my bed so that I could see her directly I woke?"

  He answered something mechanically which he could never remember.Luckily the physician, who had been sent for, came to M. Madeleine'sassistance.

  "My dear girl," said the physician, "calm yourself; your child is here."

  Fantine's eyes sparkled, and covered her whole face with brightness;she clasped her hands with an expression which contained all theviolence and all the gentleness a prayer can have simultaneously.

  "Oh," she exclaimed, "bring her to me!"

  Touching maternal illusion! Cosette was still to her the little childwho must be carried.

  "Not yet," the physician continued,--"not at this moment; you havea little fever hanging about you; the sight of your own child wouldagitate you and do you harm. You must get well first."

  She impetuously interrupted him,--

  "But I am well! I tell you I am well! What a donkey this doctor is! Iinsist on seeing my child."

  "There, you see," the physician said, "how violent you are! So long asyou are like that, I will prevent your having your child. It is notenough to see her, but you must live for her. When you grow reasonable,I will bring her myself."

  The poor mother hung her head.

  "Doctor, I ask your pardon; I sincerely ask your pardon. In formertimes I should not have spoken as I did just now, but I have gonethrough so much unhappiness that I do not know at times what I amsaying. I understand; you are afraid of the excitement; I will wait aslong as you like, but I swear to you that it would not do me any harmto see my child. Is it not very natural that I should want to see mychild, who has been fetched from Montfermeil expressly for me? I amnot angry, for I know very well that I am going to be happy. The wholenight I have seen white things and smiling faces. The doctor will bringme Cosette when he likes; I have no fever now, because I am cured; Ifeel that there is nothing the matter with me, but I will behave as ifI were ill, and not stir, so as to please these ladies. When you seethat I am quite calm, you will say, We must give her her child."

  M. Madeleine had seated himself in a chair by the bed-side; she turnedto him, visibly making an effort to appear calm and "very good," asshe said in that weakness of illness which resembles childhood, inorder that, on seeing her so peaceful, there might be no difficulty inbringing Cosette to her. Still, while checking herself, she could notrefrain from asking M. Madeleine a thousand questions.

  "Have you had a pleasant journey, sir? Oh, how kind it was of you togo and fetch her for me! Only tell me how she is. Did she stand thejourney well? Alas! she will not recognize, she will have forgottenme in all this time, poor darling! Children have no memory. They arelike the birds; to-day they see one thing and another to-morrow, anddo not think about anything. Had she got clean underclothing? Didthose Th?nardiers keep her clean? What food did they give her? Oh, ifyou only knew how I suffered when I asked myself all these questionsduring the period of my wretchedness! But now it is all passed awayand I am happy. Oh, how I should like to see her! Did you not find hervery pretty, sir? You must have been very cold in the stage-coach? Canshe not be brought here if only for a moment? She could be taken awayagain directly afterwards. You could do it if you liked, as you are theMayor."

  He took her hand and said: "Cosette is lovely, she is well, you willsee her soon; but calm yourself. You speak too eagerly and put yourarms out of bed, which will make you cough."

  In fact, a fit of coughing interrupted Fantine at nearly every word.She did not object; she feared lest she had injured the confidence shehad wished to inspire, by some too impassioned entreaties, and shebegan talking of indifferent matters.

  "Montfermeil is a rather pretty place, is it not? In summer, pleasureparties go there. Have those Th?nardiers a good trade? Not many peoplepass through the village, and theirs is a sort of pot-house."

  M. Madeleine still held her hand, and was looking at her anxiously;it was evident that he had come to tell her something at which he nowhesitated.

  The physician had left, and Sister Simplice alone remained near them."I can hear her, I can hear her!" She held out her arms to commandsilence, held her breath, and began listening with ravishment. A childwas playing in the yard, and probably belonged to one of the workmen.It was one of those accidents which constantly occur, and seem to formpart of the mysterious _mise-en-sc?ne_ of mournful events. The child,a little girl, was running about to warm herself, laughing and singingloudly. Alas! what is there in which children's games are not mingled?

  "Oh," Fantine continued, "'t is my Cosette! I recognize her voice."

  The child went away again. Her voice died away. Fantine listened forsome time, and then her face was clouded, and M. Madeleine could hearher murmuring, "How unkind that doctor is not to let me see my child!That man has a bad face."

  Still, her merry ideas returned to her, and she continued to talk toherself, with her head on the pillow. "How happy we are going to be!We will have a small garden, for M. Madeleine has promised me that. Mychild will play in the garden. She must know her alphabet by this time,and I will teach her to spell. She will chase butterflies, and I shalllook at her. Then, she will take her first communion; let me see whenthat will be."

  She began counting on her fingers,--

  "One, two, three, four,--she is now seven years old; in five years,then, she will wear a white open-work veil, and look like a littlelady. Oh, my good sister, you cannot think how foolish I am, for I amthinking of my daughter's first communion."

  And she began laughing. He had let go Fantine's hand, and listened tothese words, as one listens to the soughing breeze, with his eyes fixedon the ground, and his mind plunged into unfathomable reflections.All at once she ceased speaking, and this made him raise his headmechanically. Fantine had become frightful to look at. She no longerspoke, she no longer breathed; she was half sitting up, and her thinshoulder projected from her nightgown; her face, radiant a momentpreviously, was hard, and she seemed to be fixing her eyes, dilated byterror, upon something formidable that stood at the other end of theroom.

  "Great Heaven!" he exclaimed; "what is the matter with you, Fantine?"

  She did not answer, she did not remove her eyes from the object,whatever it might be, which she fancied she saw; but she touched hisarm with one hand, and with the other made him a sign to look behindhim. He turned back and saw Javert.