Les Miserables is a French phrase. I had this book when I was in my primary school. After one day’s school study I laid in the bed. It was deep night, and quite quiet all around. Sometimes the leaves of trees behind my room rustled, like the lover whispered near the ear. Along with the breeze came from outside through my window, I started to read the book - Les Miserables.
Hugo spends a lot of the first initial pages illustrating the humility and faithfulness of the Bishop with anecdote after anecdote. It is easy to understand he lived within his means, helped the poor, and regularly put his life in harm’s way to ensure that all around him heard about the love of God, even traveling dangerous roads to visit men and women on their deathbeds. This novel has already been made into film. In the film bishop Myriel is featured briefly and not for long. The bishop welcomes the recently released convict Valjean into his home when no one else would. Valjean absconds in the middle of the night, having stolen the bishop’s silver. He was caught again and returned to the bishop by the authorities. Most of us would have thought Valjean should be returned immediately to prison. But not the bishop, who in the novel exclaims “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belongs to evil, but to good. It is your soul I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!” The bishop even lets Valjean take two silver candle holders with him.
I have to admit I was deeply touched when I read this. Who is willing to help you when the people all around spurn? Only the coldest of hearts would not be moved by a man foregoing rightful vengeance to give his enemy another chance at redemption.
Continuing..
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