Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-12
JEAN VALJEAN AND
THE GOOD BISHOP
A Story Illustrating the Power OF
Kindness.
From "LEs MIsERAsLEs," by VICTOR HUGO
Kindness
From @LEs MIsERABLEs," by VICTOR HUGO.

him, gently touched his hand. "Yor
could not help telling me who you
were. This is not my house; it Is the
house Of Jesus Christ. The door does
not demand Of him who enters wheth-
er he has a name, but whether he has
a grief. You suffer; you are hungry
and thirsty; you are welcome. And dc
not thank me; do not say that 1 re-
ceive you in my house. No one Is al
home except the man who needs
refuge. I say to you, who are passing
by, that you are much more at home
here than I am myself Everything
here is yours What need have to
know your name? Besides, before you
told me, you had one which I knew
The man opened his eyes in aston
ishment.
Really? You knew what I was
called?"
YES" replied the bishop; you are
called my brother"
Stop, Monsieur lie Cure!" exclaimed
the man. II was very hungry when
entered here; but you are so good that
/ no longer know what has happened
to me-"
The bishop looked at him and said
You have suffered much"
"Oh, the red coat, the ball on the
ankle, a plank to sleep on, heat, cold
toll, the convicts. the thrashings. the
double chain for nothing, the cell for
one word; even sick and in bed, still
the chain! Dogs, dogs are happier!
Nineteen years! am forty-six. Now
there is the yellow passport. That Is
what it is like"
Yes" resumed the bishop, you
have come from very sad place.
Listen. There will be more joy in
Heaven over the r-bathed face Of
repentant sinner than over the white
robes Of a hundred just men. If you
emerge from that place with thoughts
Of hatred and Of wrath against man.
kind you are deserving Of pity: II you
emerge with thoughts Of goodwill
and of peace, you are more worthy
than any Of u.s."
In the meantime Madame Magloire
had served supper; soup. made with
water, oil, bread and salt; a little
bacon, a bit of mutton, figs. a fresh
cheese and large loaf Of rye bread.
The bishops face at once assumed
that expression Of gaiety which Is pc
culiar to hospitable natures. ITO
tablet" he cried vivaciously. AS was
his custom when a stranger supped
with him, he made the man sit on his
right. Mademoiselle Baptistine, per-
fectly peaceable and natural. took her
seat at his left.
The bishop asked a blessing, then
helped the soup himself, according to
his custom. The man began to eat
with avidity.
All at once the bishop said: ut
strikes me there is something missing
on this table,"
Madame Magloire had, in fact, only
placed the three sets Of forks and
spoons which were absolutely neces-
sary. Now, it was the usage of the
house, when the bishop had any one
to supper, to lay out the whole six sets
of silver on the tablecloth-an inno-
cent ostentation. This graceful SEM
blance Of luxury was a kind Of child's
play, which was full Of charm in that
gentle and severe household, which
raised poverty into dignity.
Ma6ame Magloire understood the
remark, went out without saying g
wcrd, and a moment later the three
sets of silver forks and spoons demand
ed by the bishop were glittering up
on the cloth, symmetrically arranged
before the three persons seated at the
table.
After bidding his sister goodnight
the bishop took one Of the two silver
candle-sticks from the table, handed
the other to his guest and said:
Monsieur I will conduct you tc
your room"
The man followed him.
AS might have been observed from
what has been said above, the house
was arranged that in order to pass
into the oratory where the alcove was
situated or to get out of it it was nec-
essary to traverse the bishops bed
room.
At the moment when he was cross.
ing this apartment Madame Magloire
was putting away the silverware in th'
cupboard near the head of the bel
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 beer
prepared there. The man set the can
die down on a small table.
WELL" said the bishop, may you
pass a good night. Tomorrow morn
ing before you set out. you shall
drink a cup of warm milk from oul
cows"
Thanks, Monsieur lie Able" sait
the man.
Hardly had he pronounced these
words full of peace when, all of a sud
den and without transition, he made
strange movement, which would have
frozen the two sainted women will
horror had they witnessed it. Even a
this day it is difficult for us to explair
what inspired him at that moment
| Did he intend to convey a warning ol
| to throw out a menace. Was he sim
ply obeying a sort of instructive i'm
pulse which was obscure even to him
self? He turned abruptly to the olf
man. folded his arms, and bendin:
upon his host a savage gaze, he eX
| claimed in a hoarse voice:
"Ah! Really! You lodge me in you
house. close to yourself, like this?"
He broke off, and added with ;
laugh in which there was somethin:
monarous:
Have you really reflected we'll
How do you know that have no
been an assassin"
The bishop replied:
THAT is the concern of the goot
God"
Then gravely. and moving his lip