Marius stood at his window, peering out at the rain-coated streets. He saw the shadows of his friends walk along in their phantom world. He could see them laughing as they spoke of revolution and the bright new day for France. And he could see her standing in the corner. A shadow of a shadow. He could see her lifeless body as he had left it. It had been raining then too.
"Marius? Are you well?" a soft voice came from the door.
Marius turned to see Cosette standing in the doorway, her thick brown curls tied back with a satin bow.
"Ah. Some days I wonder." he said with a sigh.
Cosette came over to him, placing a soft hand on his shoulder.
"Marius love, it's getting late. You wander too long in your dark thoughts. Come let us sleep."
Marius made a non-committal sound.
"You sleep. I still have wakefulness to spend."
Cosette opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it.
Instead she turned his head to look at her.
"Love, it has been a week since we came to live here, yet you have yet to come to bed with me. I find you in the morning asleep in the chair, looking as if you closed your eyes but an hour ago. Come, let us rest." She said softly.
Marius turned away from her.
"Cosette I do not wish to upset you, but I cannot sleep peacefully yet. You need not worry yourself with my troubles. Go sleep. I will soon join you."
Cosette looked sadly at his back, and then silently retreated to the bedroom.
Marius stared out the window, lost in his thoughts.
"Perhaps you send this rain for me," he murmured as he stared out at the clouded sky, "you always did say that rain would make the flowers grow. Perhaps you send the rain to water the flowers Eponine. And in turn the flowers in the garden will bloom to give to you the life I could not save."