Precious in His Sight
On the floor of a back room the inn at Montfermeil lay a tiny, filthy, malnourished girl with no clothes, numerous scars and with distinguishing physical features that revealed she was not "normal "according the cruel society. As soon as she heard the key turn, she was frightened. She knew the Thénardiers were coming with their customers, no doubt.
"Step right up and see the freak, the ugly mongoloid!" slurred Monsieur Thenardier.
"Up freak, up! Madame Thenardier roughly yanked the girl on her feet.
The spectators laughed at the girl and her appearance.
"Why do you even keep her?" asked a patron.
"Her Mother sends us 10 francs and for what?" asked Madame.
"You think she should eat today?" asked Monsieur.
"She's been good enough." Replied Madame.
She was thrown half of a stale slice of bread, which she devoured quickly.
She normally had some water with her meager meal. Somehow she struck up the courage to ask for water.
"W-water?"
"How dare you ask, you selfish freak!" Monsieur declared taking down a whip from a peg on the wall.
The little girl had seen the whip and was scared. She knew how it hurt.
"Filthy, feeble minded daughter of a whore," cried Madame.
Monsuier gave her twenty lashes.
The girl tried not to cry, it hurt so much, but she knew crying meant more punishment.
The drunken spectators laughed and watched.
"You want water? Go to the well!"
Madame roughly put a ragged old night gown on the still bleeding girl, in case she was seen, not to keep warn, and handed her the heavy bucket to the girl, literally kicking her out the door.
The girl slowly got up, walked to the well slowly, crying, bucket in her hand. She soon saw a man walking towards her.
"Mon Dieu, Marie de prier pour lui" (My God, Mary pray for her.)
"What is your name, child?"
She screamed. She thought she was in trouble.
"Hush now." He soothed. They both walked to the inn.
There was soon another guest at the inn.
"I'm looking for the child, Cosette", asked the man.
"Who are you, how dare you take our precious girl!" slurred Monsieur.
"Papa, she's a freak!" exclaimed his daughter Azelma.
"Oh no, you mustn't talk that way, sweet girl. Cosette, you poor dear! "said Madame feigning sweetness, walking towards the abused girl.
Cossete had never been called by name and had always responded to freak, stood there confused.
"This is Cosette?" Mon Dieu (My God). I am Jean Valjean. Her mother is dead and I promised to see the girl was well cared for.
"Oh we spend the money on special medicine, for her."
"Foolish woman, she's bleeding and starved."
"Oh, being feeble minded she is so clumsy, wandering off and she refuses to eat much."
Jean rolled his eyes. This was an abused, terrified girl.
"You could take our dear girl, but please give us what her mother owed us. Take her somewhere where they can better take care of her", suggested Monsieur with greedy intentions.
Jean gave the innkeepers the money and picked up Cosette and went to his priest to ask for advice. He wondered if the traumatized and feeble minded girl could receive some education. He believed everyone had some potential given a second chance.