Les Miserables Page #2

This is Mademoiselle Courbet,

my sister.

And this is Madame Magloire,

my housekeeper.

- You'll join us, monsieur?

- If you'll give me food, I'll eat from the yard.

Would you prefer that,

Monsieur Valjean?

- This is your home.

- This is church property.

The church belongs to its people.

We would be honored

by your presence.

Ah. I'm afraid you will find our meal

a very slight one.

But the good Madame Magloire gave part

of our dinner to a deserving parishioner.

[ Clearing Throat ]

[ Praying In Latin ]

- [ Prayer Concludes ]

- Amen.

Madame Magloire!

We have a guest.

Aren't we missing something?

Forgive me, sir, but we have

so few opportunities for social life here...

that whenever we are

honored by a visitor...

I feel I must show you

all our fine things.

Thank you.

We lack candles, madame.

They are silver, sir.

A gift to me from the sisters of

the Convent of the Child Mary, near Paris.

Convent of the Child Mary can well

afford them after all you've done for them.

The Convent of the Child Mary

trains young ladies...

to be gracious women.

A rare commodity, sir.

Madame Magloire has a feeling

that the world is full of thieves...

all anxious to steal our silver.

I'm a thief.

I spent 1 0 years in the galleys

for stealing a loaf of bread.

They did you a great wrong.

Madame Magloire, after dinner...

will you please put covers

on the bed in the alcove?

I'm sure our guest is tired

and would like to stay the night.

A glass of wine, sir?

[ Valjean ]

You're a fool, cur.

I'm a released convict with the state's

few measly francs in my pocket.

Yet you give me food

and a bed in your house.

What prevents me from strangling you in your

sleep and making off with your treasures?

[ Laughing ]

It works both ways, my son.

What is to prevent me

from- from-

Oh, well,

I'd have to find another way.

Come.

Eh, but you wouldn't do it.

Why not?

Because at heart you are a good man,

as are all other men.

The good was beaten out of me

many years ago.

Unless I forget,

they gave me that-yellow.

Released convict.

Dangerous man.

It was only fear that

made them do it, Valjean.

These are unsettled times,

and fear is everywhere.

It leads to bitterness, hatred,

the setting of dogs on one another.

But do not forget

that in each of us lies the seed...

that can conquer all this.

Yes, even in the most evil of men,

my son, there is some good.

[ Chuckles ]

It is true.

And don't let your own fear of it

blind you to it.

No, look for it

and you will find it-

[ Chuckles ]

But I am preaching.

And you are tired.

There. It's a hard bed, but I trust

you will find some comfort in it.

I slept 1 0 years on a rowing bench.

There are free men

who nightly sleep on the damp earth.

Never try to exchange your troubles, my son.

You will not like those of others.

Good rest to you.

[ Humming ]

Really, Madame Magloire,

I'm sure he meant no rudeness.

Whether he meant it or not,

he was.

He ate your dinner,

he slept under your roof...

and then he sneaked off

without so much as a ''by your leave.''

Well, he may have been a man

who liked quiet in the morning.

- Huh?

- I said, he might have been

in a hurry to be on his way.

Not in such a hurry that he didn't take

the last piece of chicken!

- Oh, I think we can afford it.

- See?

That's a silver basket?

Yes, it is.

- Where's the silver?

- I haven't the faintest idea.

- [ Knock On Door ]

- Come in.

What's the trouble, Corporal?

I recognized them immediately

as yours, Your Eminence.

- He didn't get far with them.

- Everything gone but-

- It's him! H-He-

- Quiet, Madame Magloire.

Such stupidity, Mr. Valjean.

I told you these would bring

much more than the plates.

I fear you won't go far

if you are that forgetful.

[ Corporal ]

You can be sure he won't, sir.

What are you holding him for,

Corporal?

Holding him for? He's a thief,

a former convict. He stole your silver.

Who said so?

These are a gift from me to him.

Didn't he tell you that?

- Certainly, but he's-

- Well, then release him.

I am a bishop of the church.

Do you presume to doubt me, Corporal?

You gave them to him,

Your Eminence.

There is also the matter of his creating

a disturbance at the inn last night.

Well, if this is a charge, you had better

arrest most of the men in town...

including yourself.

You have our permission

to withdraw, Corporal.

You a- a bishop?

The church is infallible on matters

of faith and doctrine, not men, Valjean.

And you're letting me go?

You're not sending me back to the galleys?

No, my son.

And this time take these, freely.

And use them wisely, so that you may

never have to go to the galleys again.

- But I-

- No, no. I should thank you.

It is the giver who receives

the benefit of a gift, my son.

It is he whose soul

is exalted and gratified...

because he feels he has done

something generous and noble...

that sets him above other men.

- Do you understand that, Valjean?

- No.

Well, then let us say that I have

done this to gratify myself...

by proving a point...

and that in future you will not

look upon all men with suspicion.

It may be that these

material treasures...

will lead to those of the spirit...

and you will one day

understand their true value.

Do you understand that?

- I don't know.

- Well-

Monsieur Valjean,

my brother's a very good man...

and he's giving you excellent advice-

take the silver.

But if you wish to keep it

in this practical world...

it would be wise if

you replaced those rags...

and also removed

that unsightly beard.

Unlike my brother, the police seldom

look for spiritual values.

[ Groans ]

I have been told that

to grow potatoes...

is more practical

and less dangerous.

But beauty has its place,

even in these times.

- [ Praying In Latin ]

- I'm not a religious man.

Few of us are.

[ Prayer Continues ]

[ Dog Barking ]

Do you buy silver?

Oh, yes, sir.

Won't you come in?

Mmm, these are very fine. Let me

weigh them, and I will make you a price.

I can give you 408 francs.

Satisfactory?

Yeah. Satisfactory.

- And now these-

- A moment, sir. I've decided not to sell those.

- [ Man Shouting ] Runaway.! Runaway.!

- But you said-

[ Boy Screaming ]

Help! Help!

George! George! My boy!

- [ Dogs Barking ]

- [ Onlookers Chattering ]

[ Horses Whinny ]

- Bravo, monsieur! Bravo!

- [ All Chattering ]

- Anything we can do?

- No. I'm perfectly all right.

Just a chance to catch my breath.

- [ All Chattering, Shouting ]

- We are grateful to you!

You are a good man

to save the boy's life, sir.

- Out of the way. Stand aside, please.

- Monsieur, you're a brave man.

Rest here, sir.

I'll see you're not disturbed.

Back to your tables, gentlemen.

- May I get you something?

- If I could just sit here for a minute.

Certainly, sir.

Monsieur, I do not know what to say,

how to thank you.

You have saved my grandson's life.

- The worst, he might have had a bad fall.

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