Chapter 5
Cosette was in her fourth month of pregnancy. Her health had not improved, but it had not regressed, either. It was during this time that the law firm had chosen Marius for a one month case in Toulouse. Marius, of course, tried desperately to get out of the engagement, but when his exasperated boss gave him the ultimatum of the Toulouse trip or his job, Marius quit trying.
It was a week before Marius would depart, and the couple was cuddling in bed one night. "I'm going to miss you both so much." Marius said, running his hand across her swollen abdomen. "Me too. But it's only for four weeks! You'll be back home before you know it." She snuggled into him, nuzzling her head into his neck. "Marius?" "Yes, darling." "Do you ever think about…being parents?" "Of course I do, love! We are having a baby after all." She looked up from her nest in his arms, a concerned expression on his face. "No. I mean do you ever think about if we're going to be good parents. I mean, I had Papa of course, but neither of us had mothers."
Marius thought about what he would say. She was sweet and gentle and patient. Of course, Cosette would be a perfect mother. But what about him? His relationship with his father had been extremely complicated. And more than that, his personality simply didn't seem to fit the mold of a father. He was hotheaded and boring, not sweet and youthful like his wife.
"Cosette. I know that you'll be a wonderful mother." "Really, Marius?" "Really, you're the kindest person I know." She smiled. "You'll be a wonderful father." "Thank you love. How about all three of us get some rest." He kissed her forehead and blew out the candle.
"I don't want you to go!" "I don't want to go either darling, but I have to. I would write, but by the time my letter arrived I would be back home." She hugged him close to her. He couldn't help but think that if something happened to her while he was gone, if her fever didn't go down this time, or if her health declined in his absence…his heart, his soul felt heavy with premeditated guilt. "Cosette." "Yes, darling?" "Promise me, that while I'm gone you'll take care of yourself." "Of course Marius. And you must promise to do the same." She said, kissing him lightly on the check. "And Cosette?" "Hmm?" "If anything happens. Anything serious at all, you must send for me." "But you-" He placed his fingers on her lips. "Promise." "All right I promise." He walked over to the couch and she trailed behind him, taking a seat on his lap. Marius cradled her closed to his chest, taking in the scent of lilacs that he would miss so much. "I don't know what I'll do without you." She looked up at him. "Oh really Marius, you know I'll miss you. But it's only for a month!" The couple heard the fiacre coming down the road, and they knew it was time for Marius to depart.
As he was riding away, he saw the warm lights of the Marais get smaller and smaller. He felt safe leaving his family there. It appeared especially cozy in the light of the sunrise. Marius knew that he could not continue to worry about Cosette the way he was; he would merely distract himself from his case and it certainly wouldn't help his wife. He would only be gone two weeks, what could happen?
Cosette was peeking out the window, watching the fiacre carry Marius away. She frowned. Toulouse was far from Paris. It was very early in the morning, about four o'clock. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep without her husband's warmth. Yawning, she turned from the window, seating herself on the beige loveseat. Bile began to rise to her throat. I thought this was supposed to go away after last month, she thought. Cosette ran to the nearest place she could appropriately empty her stomach. The kitchen.
"Oh dear God!" she moaned, not to take his name in vain, but in true despair. She could barely eat besides bread and broth! There couldn't possibly be anything left in her stomach. When she was finally finished, she sat back on the table in the middle of the kitchen. And she sobbed. She wanted Marius. His comforting warm embrace and firm chest. She wanted to feel his soft breath in her ear telling her she was all right. Should she send for the physician? She couldn't very well send for someone at four in the morning! The blood felt like it was rushing out of her head. Her hands began to shake. Very slowly, she made her way from the kitchen back into the parlor. The last thing she saw was the fire cackling away and then everything went black.
Light was penetrating her eyelids. "Marius. I want Marius." Nicolette's voice came through the ringing in her ears. "He's not here darling. I sent for the doctor. Just hang on." Cosette felt a cool cloth running over her head. "Please, Nicolette. Please go get Marius." "He's been sent for. But he's all the way in Toulouse. She could feel tears beginning to run down her face but she couldn't stop them. Everything sounded fuzzy. She couldn't think straight. She knew she had a fever, but she couldn't make sense of anything else. The tears ran faster, where was Marius? She so desperately wanted her husband, not realizing why he wasn't there.
It had been three weeks. Marius was completely fed up with his case. There was absolutely nothing that could prove the alleged fraud was true. He was sitting in the courtroom trying to listen to the judge drone on about the proper protocol in this sort of situation. Suddenly, a black caped figure burst through the courtroom doors. He seemed breathless, and he ran down the aisle to the front. Marius had turned, just as the rest of the room had, and then realized the man was coming towards him. As he approached, Marius stood. "It was sent on rush, monsieur! An emergency!" He shoved a piece of paper at the young lawyer, which was accepted with shaking hands.
Marius,
I am terribly sorry to bother you, but Cosette has fallen extremely ill. Please hurry home when you can.
Nicolette.
He only read the first sentence before he had slipped on his coat and ran out of the room. The echoes of "Monsieur Pontmercy!" and "You cannot simply leave!" were deaf to his ears. All he could think of was his wife. Marius quickly found a fiacre, and demanded it dive straight to Paris. The driver protested of course to which Marius responded with a forceful, "Just Drive!"
It was four days later when Marius arrived back at the Marais. His luggage would be arriving later; he hadn't taken time to pack. He quickly flung the doors of his home open. "Cosette? Nicolette?" Racing up the stairs, he followed the sound of steps, finding them to be Nicolette's in the guest room.
"Cosette." He whispered her name, not believing what he saw. His youthful, healthy wife, whom he had left improving in health with color in her cheeks, looked worse than he had ever seen her before. Sunken cheeks and drained color, chest bones peeking through the top of her chemise, it had not just pulled, but yanked, strained, his heartstrings.
Her eyes fluttered open then. "Marius. You're here." She pulled some semblance of a smile and closed her eyes again. He walked over to her, pulling a chair from a corner up to her side. "I'm sorry I sent for you." "No, no, darling. Of course not," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. "I was delirious, I didn't know what I was talking about. I hope I didn't ruin your case, I'm so sorry!" Marius shook his head. Yes, his case probably was ruined, but she was far more important. "No, darling, don't be sorry. Everything's fine." Nicolette knocked. "Monsieur Pontmercy? A word?"
Marius stared blankly at Nicolette. He couldn't process…nor believe what she had just said. The doctor believed this would kill her. This baby would kill her. Not now, probably when or after she gave birth. It simply couldn't happen. He couldn't let it happen. And if this doctor thought that simply letting Cosette die was his plan, Marius would simply have to find another doctor.
