Chapter 62 Sister Prism is put to the test in six episodes
But at this moment, Fantine was enjoying himself.
She had had a very uncomfortable night.Coughing violently and her body temperature getting higher, she had a dream all night.When the doctor came in the morning for an examination, she was still talking nonsense.The doctor looked a little nervous, and ordered everyone to inform M. Madeleine as soon as he returned.
Throughout that morning, she was so sluggish that she didn't talk much. She just squeezed the sheets into small creases and murmured numbers, as if she were counting mileage.Her eyes were sunken and unable to move, and her gaze was almost gone.But sometimes it is suddenly full of brilliance, shining like a star.As if, at the approach of some tragic hour, the light of heaven came to shine upon those who had been forsaken by the light of the earth.
Whenever Sister Sanpris asked her how she felt, she always replied:
"All right. I want to see M. Madeleine."
A few months before, when Fantine had lost her last virginity, her last shame, her last joy, she had been her own shadow; now she was only her own ghost.Physical illness deepens emotional trauma.This twenty-five-year-old man had a wrinkled forehead, swollen cheeks, shrunken nostrils, loose teeth, livid complexion, exposed neck bones, high shoulder blades, gaunt limbs, gray complexion, and new blond hair streaked with white.Pitiful!Illness drives people old!
At noon, the doctor came again, prescribed a prescription, asked M. Madeleine if he had been to the convalescent room, and shook his head.
M. Madeleine usually came to see the patient at three o'clock.Because punctuality is a kind of charity, he is always punctual.
Towards half-past two, Fantine grew anxious.Within twenty minutes, she asked the believer ten times:
"My sister, what time is it?"
Three o'clock struck.At the third stroke, Fantine, who could scarcely move about in bed, sat up.She was extremely anxious, and tightly squeezed her thin and yellow hands.The believer also heard her let out a long sigh, as if vomited out her depression.Fantine turned her head and looked at the door.
No one came in, and there was no movement outside the door.
She remained like this for a quarter of an hour, her eyes fixed on the door, she did not move, she did not seem to breathe.Namu dared not speak to her.The chapel announced a quarter past three.Fantine sank down on the pillow again.
She didn't say a word, and continued to fold her quilt.
Half an hour passed, and then another hour passed.No one came.Every time the bell struck, Fantine sat up, looked at the door, and fell down again.
We understand her feelings, but she never mentioned anyone's name, never complaining about God or anyone else.But she had a terrible cough.We can say that there is already a Yin Qi attacking her.Her face was gray and black, and her lips were blue.But she still smiles now and then.
After five o'clock struck, Sister-in-law heard her say in a low voice:
"Since I'm leaving tomorrow, he shouldn't not come today!"
Even Sister Sanpris was surprised at M. Madeleine's late arrival.
Meanwhile, Fantine was looking at the roof of her tent with an air of reminiscence.Suddenly, she began to sing, weakly, like a booing.The letter girl listened quietly.Here is what Fantine sang:
It was an old lullaby which she used to lull her little Cosette to sleep, and which she did not think of again after five years of seeing the child.Now she sang such soft songs in such a sad voice, it was so sad that even the believers almost cried.The usually stern sister felt like she was going to cry too. The clock struck six.Fantine did not seem to hear.She seemed not to pay attention to the things around her. Sister Sanpris sent a maid to the woman who guarded the factory gate, and asked her whether M. Madeleine had returned, and whether he would come at once to the convalescent room.A few minutes later, the maid came back. Fantine remained motionless, as if thinking of her thoughts. The maid said in a very low voice to Sister Sanpris that, in spite of the cold weather, Mr. Mayor had gone away alone, without a driver, in a small white horse-drawn carriage before six o'clock in the morning. No one knew in which direction he was going, some saw him turning to the road to Arras, others said they had indeed met him on the way to Paris.He set off, as usual, very kindly, and only told the woman at the door that he was not expected to wait for him to-night. Just as the two women, with their backs to Fantine's bed, were asking and guessing and whispering to each other, Fantine got up, knelt on the bed, leaned on the bolster with clenched hands, and stretched out her head under the tent. Listening, she suddenly developed a sick impatience and became excited, so she looked like a healthy person, and it was not at all obvious that she was in danger due to serious illness.She suddenly called out: "You're talking about M. Madeleine! Why are you talking so lowly? What's he doing? Why doesn't he come?" Her voice was so abrupt and violent that the two women thought they heard some man's voice, and they turned round in great astonishment. "Answer!" cried Fantine. The maid stammered: "The aunt at the door said he couldn't come today." "My child," said Sister-in-law, "be quiet and go to sleep." Fantine, without changing her position, exclaimed, in a tone that was both impatient and miserable: "He can't come? Why? You know why. You two are talking privately. I want to know too." The maid hurriedly whispered in the female believer's ear, "Answer her that he is holding a municipal meeting." Sister Sanpris blushed slightly. The maid taught her a lie.On the other hand, she seemed to understand very well that telling the truth to a patient would give her a strong stimulus which, in Fantine's situation, she would not be able to bear.She blushed, but immediately calmed down again.The sister raised her calm and melancholy eyes to Fantine and said: "M. Madeleine is gone." Fantine sat up on her heels, her eyes shining brightly.From her sad face radiated a joy that had never been seen before. "Go!" she yelled. "He has gone to see Cosette." So she raised her hands, pointing to the sky, and her countenance was utterly indescribable.Her lips parted and closed as she whispered a prayer. When she finished praying: "Mum," she said, "I'd love to go to sleep, and I'll listen to whatever you say; I was so rough just now, and I beg you to forgive me for talking loudly, which is very bad, I know very well." ;but, my sister, you see, I am very happy. The merciful God is merciful, and M. Madeleine is also merciful. Just imagine, he went to Montfermeil to find my Cosette. .” She lay down again, helped the sister make up the pillow, and kissed the little silver cross on her neck that Sister Prism had given her. "My child," said Sister Mumu, "rest a little now, and stop talking." Fantine took the Sister's hand in her own wet one, and she was displeased to touch the sweat. "He left for Paris this morning. He needn't have passed through Paris. Montfermeil is a little to the left of the road that came here. When I spoke to him yesterday about Cosette, he said to me: 'Come on, Coming soon.' Do you remember what he told me? He was going to surprise me by surprise. Do you know? She came back and made me sign it again. They have nothing more to say, don't they? They will hand over Cosette. Their account is settled. The law forbids the child to be withheld after the account is settled. My sister, don't make gestures to keep me from speaking. I am very happy, I am very comfortable, I am not sick at all, I will see Cosette again, and I am very hungry. Nearly five years, I didn't see her. You, you can't imagine, how much those children miss you! And she is so cute, you will see! How did you know that her little finger is so bright and beautiful! First of all, her hand Is very beautiful. At one year old her hands were ridiculously ugly. That's how it is! Now she must be grown up. She is seven years old and a lady already. I call her Cosette, but her name is It's Euphraghi. Listen, this morning, as I looked at the dust on the fireplace, I had an idea that soon I'd be able to meet Cosette. My God! Don't see yourself for a year My dear boy, this should be too much! People should think about it, life is not permanent! Oh! What a good-hearted Mr. Mayor is gone! Really, is it cold? Does he always wear a cloak? He To-morrow will be here. Isn't it? Tomorrow is a feast day. To-morrow morning, my sister, please remind me to wear the little lace hat. Montfermeil, it's a big place. I used to come from the It's all the way. It's far enough for me. But the coach is going fast. He'll be here with Cosette to-morrow. How many miles is it from here to Montfermeil?" Mumu, a complete layman about miles, replied: "Oh! I suppose he'll be here tomorrow." "To-morrow! To-morrow!" said Fantine, "to-morrow I shall see Cosette! You see, merciful sister of the merciful God, I am no longer sick. I am mad. If you will allow me, I can dance." .” Anyone who saw her a quarter of an hour ago must have been baffled.Her face was rosy now, her voice was lithe and free, and her face was just a smile.Sometimes, while laughing, she whispered to herself.A mother's joy is almost the same as that of a child. "Then," said the believer again, "you are happy now, listen to me, and don't talk any more." Fantine put her head on the pillow, and said softly to herself: "Yes, go to sleep, sweetie, and you will have your baby. Sister Sanpris is right. Everyone here rational." So she didn't move, didn't shake her head, but looked around with her wide-open eyes, with a cheerful expression, and said no more. Namumu put down her bed curtain again, hoping that she could sleep for a while. At seven o'clock, the doctor came.The room was so still that he thought Fantine was asleep. He entered softly and approached the bed on tiptoe.He drew back the curtain a little, and in the dim light of the vegetable oil lamp he saw Fantine's large peaceful eyes looking at him. She said to him, "Sir, won't you? You will allow me to let her sleep in a cot next to me." The doctor thought she was talking nonsense.She added: "You see, there just happens to be an empty space here." The doctor took Sister Sanpris aside, and she explained the story clearly: M. Madeleine could not come for a day or two. The patient thought that M. the Mayor had gone to Montfermeil. I don't think it's right to tell her delusion, and she might be right, too.The doctor thought so too. He approached Fantine's bed again, and she said again: "That is, you know, when the poor baby wakes up in the morning, I can say good morning to her, and at night, I don't sleep, I can listen to her sleep. How comforting it is to hear her soft, soft breathing." .” "Give me your hand," said the doctor. She stretched out her arms, laughed again and said: "Ah! Yes! Indeed, indeed, you don't know! I am cured. Cosette will come tomorrow." The doctor was astonished.She did feel better.Depression eased.The pulse is also strong.A sudden life excited the poor dying man. "Mr. Doctor," she went on, "has this sister told you that Mr. Mayor has gone to fetch the baby?" The doctor ordered quiet, and to avoid all sad stimuli.He prescribed pure quinine to drink, and a sedative in case the temperature rose during the night.Before he left, he said to his sister: "It's better. If God is lucky, Mr. Mayor will arrive with the child tomorrow. Who knows? The change of the disease is so unpredictable. We have seen many great cases." Joy can stop the disease at once. I know it's an internal disease, and it's very deep, but these things are so inexplicable! Maybe we can bring her back."
It was an old lullaby which she used to lull her little Cosette to sleep, and which she did not think of again after five years of seeing the child.Now she sang such soft songs in such a sad voice, it was so sad that even the believers almost cried.The usually stern sister felt like she was going to cry too. The clock struck six.Fantine did not seem to hear.She seemed not to pay attention to the things around her. Sister Sanpris sent a maid to the woman who guarded the factory gate, and asked her whether M. Madeleine had returned, and whether he would come at once to the convalescent room.A few minutes later, the maid came back. Fantine remained motionless, as if thinking of her thoughts. The maid said in a very low voice to Sister Sanpris that, in spite of the cold weather, Mr. Mayor had gone away alone, without a driver, in a small white horse-drawn carriage before six o'clock in the morning. No one knew in which direction he was going, some saw him turning to the road to Arras, others said they had indeed met him on the way to Paris.He set off, as usual, very kindly, and only told the woman at the door that he was not expected to wait for him to-night. Just as the two women, with their backs to Fantine's bed, were asking and guessing and whispering to each other, Fantine got up, knelt on the bed, leaned on the bolster with clenched hands, and stretched out her head under the tent. Listening, she suddenly developed a sick impatience and became excited, so she looked like a healthy person, and it was not at all obvious that she was in danger due to serious illness.She suddenly called out: "You're talking about M. Madeleine! Why are you talking so lowly? What's he doing? Why doesn't he come?" Her voice was so abrupt and violent that the two women thought they heard some man's voice, and they turned round in great astonishment. "Answer!" cried Fantine. The maid stammered: "The aunt at the door said he couldn't come today." "My child," said Sister-in-law, "be quiet and go to sleep." Fantine, without changing her position, exclaimed, in a tone that was both impatient and miserable: "He can't come? Why? You know why. You two are talking privately. I want to know too." The maid hurriedly whispered in the female believer's ear, "Answer her that he is holding a municipal meeting." Sister Sanpris blushed slightly. The maid taught her a lie.On the other hand, she seemed to understand very well that telling the truth to a patient would give her a strong stimulus which, in Fantine's situation, she would not be able to bear.She blushed, but immediately calmed down again.The sister raised her calm and melancholy eyes to Fantine and said: "M. Madeleine is gone." Fantine sat up on her heels, her eyes shining brightly.From her sad face radiated a joy that had never been seen before. "Go!" she yelled. "He has gone to see Cosette." So she raised her hands, pointing to the sky, and her countenance was utterly indescribable.Her lips parted and closed as she whispered a prayer. When she finished praying: "Mum," she said, "I'd love to go to sleep, and I'll listen to whatever you say; I was so rough just now, and I beg you to forgive me for talking loudly, which is very bad, I know very well." ;but, my sister, you see, I am very happy. The merciful God is merciful, and M. Madeleine is also merciful. Just imagine, he went to Montfermeil to find my Cosette. .” She lay down again, helped the sister make up the pillow, and kissed the little silver cross on her neck that Sister Prism had given her. "My child," said Sister Mumu, "rest a little now, and stop talking." Fantine took the Sister's hand in her own wet one, and she was displeased to touch the sweat. "He left for Paris this morning. He needn't have passed through Paris. Montfermeil is a little to the left of the road that came here. When I spoke to him yesterday about Cosette, he said to me: 'Come on, Coming soon.' Do you remember what he told me? He was going to surprise me by surprise. Do you know? She came back and made me sign it again. They have nothing more to say, don't they? They will hand over Cosette. Their account is settled. The law forbids the child to be withheld after the account is settled. My sister, don't make gestures to keep me from speaking. I am very happy, I am very comfortable, I am not sick at all, I will see Cosette again, and I am very hungry. Nearly five years, I didn't see her. You, you can't imagine, how much those children miss you! And she is so cute, you will see! How did you know that her little finger is so bright and beautiful! First of all, her hand Is very beautiful. At one year old her hands were ridiculously ugly. That's how it is! Now she must be grown up. She is seven years old and a lady already. I call her Cosette, but her name is It's Euphraghi. Listen, this morning, as I looked at the dust on the fireplace, I had an idea that soon I'd be able to meet Cosette. My God! Don't see yourself for a year My dear boy, this should be too much! People should think about it, life is not permanent! Oh! What a good-hearted Mr. Mayor is gone! Really, is it cold? Does he always wear a cloak? He To-morrow will be here. Isn't it? Tomorrow is a feast day. To-morrow morning, my sister, please remind me to wear the little lace hat. Montfermeil, it's a big place. I used to come from the It's all the way. It's far enough for me. But the coach is going fast. He'll be here with Cosette to-morrow. How many miles is it from here to Montfermeil?" Mumu, a complete layman about miles, replied: "Oh! I suppose he'll be here tomorrow." "To-morrow! To-morrow!" said Fantine, "to-morrow I shall see Cosette! You see, merciful sister of the merciful God, I am no longer sick. I am mad. If you will allow me, I can dance." .” Anyone who saw her a quarter of an hour ago must have been baffled.Her face was rosy now, her voice was lithe and free, and her face was just a smile.Sometimes, while laughing, she whispered to herself.A mother's joy is almost the same as that of a child. "Then," said the believer again, "you are happy now, listen to me, and don't talk any more." Fantine put her head on the pillow, and said softly to herself: "Yes, go to sleep, sweetie, and you will have your baby. Sister Sanpris is right. Everyone here rational." So she didn't move, didn't shake her head, but looked around with her wide-open eyes, with a cheerful expression, and said no more. Namumu put down her bed curtain again, hoping that she could sleep for a while. At seven o'clock, the doctor came.The room was so still that he thought Fantine was asleep. He entered softly and approached the bed on tiptoe.He drew back the curtain a little, and in the dim light of the vegetable oil lamp he saw Fantine's large peaceful eyes looking at him. She said to him, "Sir, won't you? You will allow me to let her sleep in a cot next to me." The doctor thought she was talking nonsense.She added: "You see, there just happens to be an empty space here." The doctor took Sister Sanpris aside, and she explained the story clearly: M. Madeleine could not come for a day or two. The patient thought that M. the Mayor had gone to Montfermeil. I don't think it's right to tell her delusion, and she might be right, too.The doctor thought so too. He approached Fantine's bed again, and she said again: "That is, you know, when the poor baby wakes up in the morning, I can say good morning to her, and at night, I don't sleep, I can listen to her sleep. How comforting it is to hear her soft, soft breathing." .” "Give me your hand," said the doctor. She stretched out her arms, laughed again and said: "Ah! Yes! Indeed, indeed, you don't know! I am cured. Cosette will come tomorrow." The doctor was astonished.She did feel better.Depression eased.The pulse is also strong.A sudden life excited the poor dying man. "Mr. Doctor," she went on, "has this sister told you that Mr. Mayor has gone to fetch the baby?" The doctor ordered quiet, and to avoid all sad stimuli.He prescribed pure quinine to drink, and a sedative in case the temperature rose during the night.Before he left, he said to his sister: "It's better. If God is lucky, Mr. Mayor will arrive with the child tomorrow. Who knows? The change of the disease is so unpredictable. We have seen many great cases." Joy can stop the disease at once. I know it's an internal disease, and it's very deep, but these things are so inexplicable! Maybe we can bring her back."