Eponine was playing in the garden happily with Azelma, chasing the big, blue butterflies that floated their way. Their laughs echoed in the empty street, the sound of their shoes joining their voices. Azelma tripped and fell, laughing on the way down. Eponine giggled, too, and picked the five year-old up from the hard, dirt ground. Wiping the few specks of dirt from Azelma's dress, Eponine started running again.
"Eponine!" Madame Thenardier called from the doorway of the inn. Eponine glanced her mother's way. Azelma kept running down the garden, not caring about a thing in the world. Eponine ushered Azelma in. the five year old refused, so Eponine ran towards the small girl and tickled her. Azelma squealed and scurried towards her mother to hide from her older sister. Eponine laughed and wiggled her fingers again. This caused Azelma to squeal even louder. Madame Thenardier laughed and placed her hand on Eponine's shoulder. The six year old looked up at her mother with big eyes.
"Eponine, why not go inside and play? Surely your sister is tired from all her running and jumping. You've been chasing bugs all day!" Madame Thenardier chuckled. Azelma shook her head from behind her mother's back. She most definitely wasn't tired. Eponine huffed and crossed her tiny arms.
"Mother, they're butterflies, not bugs! Come! Look!" Eponine stumbled over to the patch of flowers by the pond. A monarch butterfly was fluttering by a tulip, the wings flapping gracefully. Eponine placed her finger next to the butterfly, and the graceful creature climbed on. Eponine showed her finger proudly at Madame Thenardier. Azelma was awestruck by the wings.
Suddenly, Azelma shrieked. Eponine gasped, and turned. The butterfly had flown straight off of her finger, and right onto Azelma's head! Eponine giggled, and Azelma continued to shriek. After wiggling around for a few moments, the butterfly finally took off and found some place else to sit contentedly. A clopping of horse hooves drew Eponine's attention to the cobblestone street.
A carriage was there, paused right in front of the inn. Was there another customer? Her father had put up the ALL FULL sign, so why would the carriage stop at the inn? The carriage door opened, and out stepped a beautiful, brown haired woman. Her light blue dress swished around her ankles, giving her a more graceful effect. Eponine stared. The woman reached back into the carriage, and helped a little girl out. The girl had blonde curls, all tucked into a cute little bonnet. Her dress was a light pink, matching the girl's rosy cheeks. The girl looked about Eponine's age. She was just as beautiful as her mother.
The woman approached Madame Thenardier. She smiled, and held the little girl's hand tightly.
"Are you the owner of this place?" the woman asked. Madame Thenardier nodded slowly. The woman smiled. "Well, you see, I'm Fantine, and this is my daughter, Euphrasie, but you may call her Cosette. Actually, she would much rather prefer Cosette. Her father abandoned us a few years ago, before Cosette here was born. Now I have gotten a job, but who's going to watch Cosette? That's why I need you to keep her. I'll pay you, and I'll visit from time to time. Please?" Fantine pleaded. Madame Thenardier looked thoughtful.
"Let me talk to my husband. We'll see what we can do." Madame Thenardier strolled away, leaving Fantine, Cosette, Eponine, and Azelma all by themselves in the garden. Azelma shied away behind Eponine, poking her small head through her arms. Fantine laughed, and Cosette smiled. Eponine smiled back, and then Azelma hid again.
"Do you want to play?" Eponine asked quite boldly. Cosette smiled happily. Fantine let go of her daughter's hand and pushed her forward. Cosette skipped up to Eponine, and Azelma peeked out from behind Eponine. Chirping could be heard from above, and Cosette pointed above them at the maple tree branches that towered over them. For the first time, the small girl spoke.
"It's baby birds!" Cosette gasped. Eponine's gaze followed where she was pointing at. She grinned widely. The perfect idea for playing.
"I have some old bread crumbs inside! Do you want to come?" Eponine whispered excitedly. Cosette nodded with just as much enthusiasm. Together, they bounded towards the inn. Azelma chased after them, running as fast as her little five year old legs could take her. Eponine giggled when she burst through the door of the inn. People stared at her and Cosette, but she didn't mind. She dashed through the kitchen door, grabbing the crumbs she had saved from the morning's bread. Cosette grabbed a handful, and followed Eponine out to the front yard, where Fantine stood waiting. Azalea had taken a seat on the small bench facing the pond, but her head was looking at them. Eponine wiggled her fingers, and Azelma squealed loudly and turned away.
Holding her hand out for Cosette to see, Eponine raised her hand up towards the maple tree. Suddenly, a mother bird came and rested on Eponine's thumb. Cosette gasped and watched in fascination as the bird pecked at the crumbs. Cosette held her hand out, and the mother bird moved to her hand. It was Eponine's turn to watch carefully. Before she could move, though, another bird came to rest on her hand. She laughed. These birds couldn't get enough, could they?
Suddenly, a hand came to rest on her shoulder. It was Fantine.
"I see you're having fun with my Cosette, eh?" Eponine smiled and nodded. Cosette was still gazing at the birds, but she nodded as well. Fantine laughed. "Well, mon ami, these birds are called sparrows. Do you like them?"
"Yes, Madame." Eponine answered politely. Fantine laughed again, her laugh sounding like tinkling chimes on a windy day. Eponine quite likes that laugh, Cosette was lucky to have a mother like this.
"There's no need for formalities." Fantine smiled softly, then turned away for Madame Thenardier had entered the scene. Eponine returned to her hand, but the birds had long gone. Cosette looked sad. Eponine wanted to cheer her up, but didn't know how. Her mother would never let her pick the flowers in the beds, so…
"Cosette, do you want to plant some flowers? I'm sure my Mother would like having more color in our garden. I've gardened before, and don't worry about getting your dress dirtied. I can lend you a gardening gown." Cosette smiled at the kind offer. Azelma skipped over to the pair.
"Can I join, too?" the small girl asked sweetly. Cosette and Eponine laughed heartedly. The darker haired girl picked her sister up. Even though they were one year apart, Eponine was capable of picking up Azelma. Azelma was very small for her age, maybe around the size of a four year old. That didn't stop her high spirits, though.
The trio ran back inside the inn for the second time, running up the staircases, dashing through the hallways, and scurrying into Eponine and Azelma's room.
The walls were daintily painted, flowers sketched onto the wood. All the colors were like pastel, giving the place a light effect. Cosette's fingers skimmed the walls. Would she get this kind of a room when she moved in?
Eponine and Azelma's headboards were dark mahogany wood, polished and carved. Eponine's had pictures of flowers and raindrops with music notes forming a border. Azelma's represented angels and fairies, with a princess. Both were very exquisite, perfect for the little girls they all were. A window was facing the empty street of Montfermeil, the occasional carriage passing by. The garden could be seen from the second window, and two dots could be seen standing on the grass. Cosette gasped. Those were Eponine's mother and hers! Cosette giggled. They looked like ants! Azelma hopped up on her bed, ignoring the fact that dolls were strewn all over it. Eponine approached Cosette.
"Do you like the view? That's why I chose this room." Cosette was confused.
"You call the garden a view?" questioned Cosette. Eponine laughed.
"No, mon ami. See the mountain range along the distance?" Eponine held Cosette's hands in hers and took her pointer finger, pointing it at a jagged line of shadow. The enormous hills were just visible through the hazy summer weather. Trees dotted the mounds and grass littered the ground in patches. Fantine's voice was carried up the wooden stairs.
"Cosette! Ma petite fille! I'm leaving!" Cosette bounded down the steps, Eponine and Azelma following close behind. The blonde leapt into her loving mother's arms. "My sweet girl, I'm leaving. You're going to be in good care of the Thenardiers, and Eponine will be your friend. I will visit once in a while, but be good." Cosette nodded as tears sprung to her small eyes. Fantine started sobbing too.
"Goodbye, mamma." Cosette wailed. Fantine gathered Cosette in her arms even tighter, kissing Cosette on the head many times. Then she pulled away and entered the carriage, her beautiful eyes gazing at her only daughter once more.
"Goodbye Cosette, my douce. I love you, remember that." With that, Fantine shut the carriage door, and she was gone.
Translations:
Mon ami: My friend
Ma petite fille: My little girl
Ma douce: my sweet one