Les Misérables, page 103
CHAPTER IV--ENTRANCE ON THE SCENE OF A DOLL
The line of open-air booths starting at the church, extended, as thereader will remember, as far as the hostelry of the Thénardiers. Thesebooths were all illuminated, because the citizens would soon pass ontheir way to the midnight mass, with candles burning in paper funnels,which, as the schoolmaster, then seated at the table at the Thénardiers'observed, produced "a magical effect." In compensation, not a star wasvisible in the sky.
The last of these stalls, established precisely opposite theThénardiers' door, was a toy-shop all glittering with tinsel, glass,and magnificent objects of tin. In the first row, and far forwards, themerchant had placed on a background of white napkins, an immense doll,nearly two feet high, who was dressed in a robe of pink crepe, with goldwheat-ears on her head, which had real hair and enamel eyes. All thatday, this marvel had been displayed to the wonderment of all passers-byunder ten years of age, without a mother being found in Montfermeilsufficiently rich or sufficiently extravagant to give it to her child.Éponine and Azelma had passed hours in contemplating it, and Cosetteherself had ventured to cast a glance at it, on the sly, it is true.
At the moment when Cosette emerged, bucket in hand, melancholy andovercome as she was, she could not refrain from lifting her eyes to thatwonderful doll, towards _the lady_, as she called it. The poor childpaused in amazement. She had not yet beheld that doll close to. Thewhole shop seemed a palace to her: the doll was not a doll; it was avision. It was joy, splendor, riches, happiness, which appeared ina sort of chimerical halo to that unhappy little being so profoundlyengulfed in gloomy and chilly misery. With the sad and innocent sagacityof childhood, Cosette measured the abyss which separated her fromthat doll. She said to herself that one must be a queen, or at least aprincess, to have a "thing" like that. She gazed at that beautiful pinkdress, that beautiful smooth hair, and she thought, "How happy that dollmust be!" She could not take her eyes from that fantastic stall. Themore she looked, the more dazzled she grew. She thought she was gazingat paradise. There were other dolls behind the large one, which seemedto her to be fairies and genii. The merchant, who was pacing back andforth in front of his shop, produced on her somewhat the effect of beingthe Eternal Father.
In this adoration she forgot everything, even the errand with which shewas charged.
All at once the Thénardier's coarse voice recalled her to reality:"What, you silly jade! you have not gone? Wait! I'll give it to you! Iwant to know what you are doing there! Get along, you little monster!"
The Thénardier had cast a glance into the street, and had caught sightof Cosette in her ecstasy.
Cosette fled, dragging her pail, and taking the longest strides of whichshe was capable.
