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〃‘Monsieur le Cure of the good God； all this is far too good for me； but I must say that the carters who would not allow me to eat with them keep a better table than you do。'
〃Between ourselves； the remark rather shocked me。
My brother replied：
〃‘They are more fatigued than I。'
〃‘No；' returned the man； ‘they have more money。
You are poor； I see that plainly。
You cannot be even a curate。
Are you really a cure？
Ah； if the good God were but just； you certainly ought to be a cure！'
〃‘The good God is more than just；' said my brother。
〃A moment later he added：
〃‘Monsieur Jean Valjean； is it to Pontarlier that you are going？'
〃‘With my road marked out for me。'
〃I think that is what the man said。
Then he went on：
〃‘I must be on my way by daybreak to…morrow。 Travelling is hard。 If the nights are cold； the days are hot。'
〃‘You are going to a good country；' said my brother。
‘During the Revolution my family was ruined。
I took refuge in Franche…te at first； and there I lived for some time by the toil of my hands。 My will was good。
I found plenty to occupy me。
One has only to choose。 There are paper mills； tanneries； distilleries； oil factories； watch factories on a large scale； steel mills； copper works； twenty iron foundries at least； four of which； situated at Lods； at Chatillon； at Audincourt； and at Beure； are tolerably large。'
〃I think I am not mistaken in saying that those are the names which my brother mentioned。
Then he interrupted himself and addressed me：
〃‘Have we not some relatives in those parts； my dear sister？'
〃I replied；
〃‘We did have some； among others； M。 de Lucenet； who was captain of the gates at Pontarlier under the old regime。'
〃‘Yes；' resumed my brother； ‘but in '93； one had no longer any relatives； one had only one's arms。
I worked。
They have； in the country of Pontarlier； whither you are going； Monsieur Valjean； a truly patriarchal and truly charming industry； my sister。 It is their cheese…dairies； which they call fruitieres。'
〃Then my brother； while urging the man to eat； explained to him； with great minuteness； what these fruitieres of Pontarlier were； that they were divided into two classes：
the big barns which belong to the rich； and where there are forty or fifty cows which produce from seven to eight thousand cheeses each summer； and the associated fruitieres； which belong to the poor； these are the peasants of mid…mountain； who hold their cows in mon； and share the proceeds。 ‘They engage the services of a cheese…maker； whom they call the grurin； the grurin receives the milk of the associates three times a day； and marks the quantity on a double tally。
It is towards the end of April that the work of the cheese…dairies begins； it is towards the middle of June that the cheese…makers drive their cows to the mountains。'
〃The man recovered his animation as he ate。
My brother made him drink that good Mauves wine； which he does not drink himself； because he says that wine is expensive。
My brother imparted all these details with that easy gayety of his with which you are acquainted； interspersing his words with graceful attentions to me。
He recurred frequently to that fortable trade of grurin； as though he wished the man to understand； without advising him directly and harshly； that this would afford him a refuge。
One thing struck me。 This man was what I have told you。
Well； neither during supper； nor during the entire evening； did my brother utter a single word； with the exception of a few words about Jesus when he entered； which could remind the man of what he was； nor of what my brother was。 To all appearances； it was an occasion for preaching him a little sermon； and of impressing the Bishop on the convict； so that a mark of the passage might remain behind。
This might have appeared to any one else who had this； unfortunate man in his hands to afford a chance to nourish his soul as well as his body； and to bestow upon him some reproach； seasoned with moralizing and advice； or a little miseration； with an exhortation to conduct himself better in the future。 My brother did not even ask him from what country he came； nor what was his history。
For in his history there is a fault； and my brother seemed to avoid everything which could remind him of it。
To such a point did he carry it； that at one time； when my brother was speaking of the mountaineers of Pontarlier； who exercise a gentle labor near heaven； and who； he added； are happy because they are innocent； he stopped short； fearing lest in this remark there might have escaped him something which might wound the man。 By dint of reflection； I think I have prehended what was passing in my brother's heart。
He was thinking； no doubt； that this man； whose name is Jean Valjean； had his misfortune only too vividly present in his mind； that the best thing was to divert him from it； and to make him believe； if only momentarily； that he was a person like any other； by treating him just in his ordinary way。
Is not this indeed； to understand charity well？
Is there not； dear Madame； something truly evangelical in this delicacy which abstains from sermon； from moralizing； from allusions？ and is not the truest pity； when a man has a sore point； not to touch it at all？
It has seemed to me that this might have been my brother's private thought。 In any case； what I can say is that； if he entertained all these ideas； he gave no sign of them； from beginning to end； even to me he was the same as he is every evening； and he supped with this Jean Valjean with the same air and in the same manner in which he would have supped with M。 Gedeon le Provost； or with the curate of the parish。
〃Towards the end； when he had reached the figs； there came a knock at the door。
It was Mother Gerbaud； with her little one in her arms。 My brother kissed the child on the brow； and borrowed fifteen sous which I had about me to give to Mother Gerbaud。
The man was not paying much heed to anything then。
He was no longer talking； and he seemed very much fatigued。
After poor old Gerbaud had taken her departure； my brother said grace； then he turned to the man and said to him； ‘You must be in great need of your bed。'
Madame Magloire cleared the table very promptly。
I understood that we must retire； in order to allow this traveller to go to sleep； and we both went up stairs。
Nevertheless； I sent Madame Magloire down a moment later； to carry to the man's bed a goat skin from the Black Forest； which was in my room。
The nights are frigid； and that keeps one warm。 It is a pity that this skin is old； all the hair is falling out。 My brother bought it while he was in Germany； at Tottlingen； near the sources of the Danube； as well as the little ivory…handled knife which I use at table。
〃Madame Magloire returned immediately。
We said our prayers in the drawing…room； where we hang up the linen； and then we each retired to our own chambers； without saying a word to each other。〃
BOOK SECONDTHE FALL
CHAPTER V
TRANQUILLITY
After bidding his sister good night； Monseigneur Bienvenu took one of the two silver candlesticks from the table； handed the other to his guest； and said to him；
〃Monsieur； I will conduct you to your room。〃
The man followed him。
As might have been observed from what has been said above； the house was so arranged that in order to pass into the oratory where the alcove was situated； or to get out of it； it was necessary to traverse the Bishop's bedroom。
At the moment when he was crossing this apartment； Madame Magloire was putting away the silverware in the cupboard near the head of the bed。 This was her last care every evening before she went to bed。
The Bishop installed his guest in the alcove。
A fresh white bed had been prepared there。
The man set the candle down on a small table。
〃Well；〃 said the Bishop； 〃may you pass a good night。
To…morrow morning； before you set out； you shall drink a cup of warm milk from our cows。〃
〃Thanks； Monsieur l'Abbe；〃 said the man。
Hardly had he pronounced these words full of peace； when all of a sudden； and without transition； he made a strange movement； which would have frozen the two sainted women with horror； had they witnessed it。
Even at this day it is difficult for us to explain what inspired him at that moment。
Did he intend to convey a warning or to throw out a menace？
Was he simply obeying a sort of instinctive impulse which was obscure even to himself？ He turned abruptly to the old man； folded his arms； and bending upon his host a savage gaze； he exclaimed in a hoarse voice：
〃Ah！ really！
You lodge me in your house； close to yourself like this？〃
He broke off； and added with a laugh in which there lurked something monstrous：
〃Have you really reflected well？
How do you know that I have not been an assassin？〃
The Bishop replied：
〃That is the concern of the good God。〃
Then gravely； and moving his lips like one who is praying or talking to himself； he raised two fingers of his right hand and bestowed his benediction on the man； who did not bow； and without turning his head or looking behind him； he returned to his bedroom。
When the alcove was in use； a large serge curtain drawn from wall to wall concealed the altar。
The Bishop knelt before this curtain as he passed and said a brief prayer。
A moment later he was in his garden； walking； meditating； conteplating； his heart and soul wholly absorbed in those grand and mysterious things which God shows at night to the eyes which remain open。
As for the man； he was actually so fatigued that he did not even profit by the nice white sheets。
Snuffing out his candle with his nostrils after the manner of convicts； he dropped； all dressed as he was； upon the bed； where he immediately fell into a profound sleep。
Midnight struck as the Bishop returned from his garden to his apartment。
A few minutes later all were asleep in the little house。
BOOK SECONDTHE FALL
CHAPTER VI
JEAN VALJEAN
Towards the middle of the night Jean Valjean woke。
Jean Valjean came from a poor peasant family of Brie。
He had not learned to read in his childhood。
When he reached man's estate； be became a tree…pruner at Faverolles。
His mother was named Jeanne Mathieu； his father was called Jean Valjean or Vlajean； probably a sobriquet； and a contraction of viola Jean； 〃here's Jean。〃
Jean Valjean was of that thoughtful but not gloomy disposition which constitutes the peculiarity of affectionate natures。 On the whole； however； there was something decidedly sluggish and insignificant about Jean Valjean in appearance； at least。 He had lost his father and mother at a very early age。
His mother had died of a milk fever； which had not been properly attended to。 His father； a tree…pruner； like himself； had been killed by a fall from a tree。
All that remained to Jean Valjean was a sister older than himself；a widow with seven children； boys and girls。 This sister had brought up Jean Valjean； and so long as she had a husband she lodged and fed her young brother。
The husband died。
The eldest of the seven children was eight years old。
The youngest； one。
Jean Valjean had just attained his twenty…fifth year。
He took the father's place； and； in his turn； supported the sister who had brought him up。
This was done simply as a duty and even a little churlishly on the part of Jean Valjean。
Thus his youth had been spent in rude and ill…paid toil。
He had never known a 〃kind woman friend〃 in his native parts。
He had not had the time to fall in love。
He returned at night weary； and ate his broth without uttering a word。 His sister； mother Jeanne； often took the best part of his repast from his bowl while he was eating；a bit of meat； a slice of bacon； the heart of the cabbage；to give to one of her children。 As he went on eating； with his head bent over the table and almost into his soup； his long hair falling about his bowl and concealing his eyes； he had the air of perceiving nothing and allowing it。 There was at Faverolles； not far from the Valjean thatched cottage； on the other side of the lane； a farmer's wife named Marie…Claude； the Valjean children； habitually famished； sometimes went to borrow from Marie…Claude a pint of milk； in their mother's name； which they drank behind a hedge or in some alley corner； snatching the jug from each other so hastily that the little girls spilled it on their aprons and down their necks。
If their mother had known of this marauding； she would have punished the delinquents severely。 Jean Valjean gruffly and grumblingly paid Marie…Claude for the pint of milk behind their mother's back； and the children were not punished。
In pruning season he earned eighteen sous a day； then he hired out as a hay…maker； as laborer； as neat…herd on a farm； as a drudge。 He did whatever he could。
His sister worked also but what could she do with seven little children？
It was a sad group enveloped in misery； which was being gradually annihilated。
A very