Les Miserables Page #5

---

on the Boulevard de I'Hpital in Paris.

You think you're clever,

telling me where I was born.

Not everybody's got a house

to be born in.

My pa and ma

lived on the road.

When I was little,

people called me "my boy."

Now that I'm old,

they call me "old man."

Those are my Christian names.

Take that as you want!

Sure, I was in Faverolles

and the Auvergne.

Does that make me

a convict?

My name is Champmathieu.

I'm a cartwright.

I know Mr. Baloup,

and that's that!

I'm fed up with all this!

You'll make me lose

my temper, damn it!

Your Honor,

in view of the confused

but cunning denials of the accused,

who wishes to make us think him mad,

but who will not succeed -

Your Honor, I must protest

against the intolerable insinuations

of the prosecution.

If you'll permit me, counselor,

we ask the court to recall

convicts Brevet,

Cochepaille and Chenildieu

to be questioned one last time

as to the accused's identity.

Summon Brevet,

Cochepaille and Chenildieu.

Brevet, your loss of civic rights

prevents you from taking an oath.

But even a man

degraded by the law

can retain

a sense of honor and equity.

It is that sense that I address

in this decisive moment.

There's still time to retract

your testimony if you've made a mistake.

Will the accused rise.

Brevet,

look closely at the accused.

Think back and tell us

in all good conscience

if you still recognize this man

as your former prison mate,

Jean Valjean.

Sure, Your Honor.

I was the first to recognize him.

It's him all right.

I recognize him perfectly.

If that don't beat all!

Be seated.

Accused, remain standing.

Come forward, Chenildieu.

You heard

my question to Brevet.

Do you recognize the accused

as your former prison mate Jean Valjean?

Do I! We spent five years

shackled together.

He's Jean Valjean.

Be seated.

Huh?

Come forward, Cochepaille.

You heard my question

to Brevet and Chenildieu.

Do you recognize the accused

as your former prison mate Jean Valjean?

No doubt about it, Your Honor.

It's Jean Valjean,

alias "the Jack"

due to his strength.

Well, I'll be!

Silence!

Accused, is that all you have

to say:
"Well, I'll be!"?

Silence

or I'll empty this courtroom!

Brevet, Cochepaille and Chenildieu,

look over here.

Don't you recognize me?

Members of the jury,

release the accused.

Your Honor, order my arrest.

He's not the man you want.

I am.

I am Jean Valjean.

Members of the jury,

you all know,

by reputation at least,

the honorable Mr. Madeleine,

mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer.

The strange

and distressing incident

that has just disturbed this court

can only inspire a feeling

that we needn't give voice to.

What's taking so long?

I've been waiting an hour.

I have to be in Montreuil.

Will the Amiens coach wait?

- You'll make it.

Going to Montreuil?

Ask my customer to take you.

He just came from there.

He won't dawdle.

- Where did he go?

- The courthouse.

I understand how you feel,

Your Honor.

I understand you,

and I thank you.

But I'm not mad.

You were about

to make a terrible mistake.

Release this man.

I'm fulfilling an obligation

in asking you that.

I alone see clearly here.

I speak the truth.

I robbed Monseigneur Myriel.

That's true.

I robbed the Savoyard boy.

That's true.

But the fault may not

have been all mine.

Hear me out,

members of the jury.

A man who has sunk

as low as I had

has nothing

to blame Providence for

and no advice to give society.

But, you see, the infamy

I attempted to rise above

can only be called...

an abomination.

It is jails that make jailbirds.

Ponder that, if you will.

In the desk of my study

you'll find

the coin I stole from

the Savoyard boy seven years ago.

You don't believe me?

Do those three

still not recognize me?

Well, I recognize them.

Brevet, remember the checked

woolen suspenders you wore?

Chenildieu, there's a deep scar

on your right shoulder

where you burned it

on a red-hot stove

to erase the mark

for "forced labor for life."

But it's still legible.

Answer me.

Isn't that right?

That's right.

Cochepaille,

in the bend of your left arm,

there's a date in blue letters

burned into your skin.

It's the date of the emperor's

landing at Cannes:

March 1, 1815.

Pull up your sleeve.

As you can see,

I am Jean Valjean.

I won't disturb

this court any longer.

I have

an important duty to fulfill,

a pledge I made

to a dying woman.

I will not run away

or kill myself.

The prosecutor knows

who I am and where to find me.

He can have me arrested

as he sees fit.

Mr. Prosecutor,

I remain at the court's disposal.

Jean Valjean!

What?

They set you free?

Of course!

I'm old Champmathieu.

They can't keep me here.

But they didn't keep

the other man either.

What other man?

Jean Valjean.

They didn't believe him.

Isn't that the funniest thing?

- He's gone?

- Sure is.

They don't know

their line of business too good.

They don't believe nobody.

I tell them

I'm old Champmathieu,

and they call me a liar.

The other fellow says

he's Jean Valjean,

and they call for a doctor.

But a fellow knows who he is,

don't he?

They're a bit dense.

No, justice won't be

flouted like this.

They've issued a warrant

to rearrest the man at all costs.

They talking about me?

Did they change their minds?

If they find another fellow

to confuse me with,

they might arrest me

all over again.

I'm leaving.

You don't get lucky every day.

If they'd asked Mr. Baloup,

none of this

would've happened.

Sister,

it's Mr. Madeleine with Cosette.

Where is Cosette?

Calm down, Fantine.

Go back to sleep.

I was held up by another duty.

I'm going to get Cosette.

I'll care for her from now on.

I swear it.

I have a warrant for your arrest,

Jean Valjean.

What is it, Mr. Madeleine?

The farce is over.

Come along.

I'll go with you, Javert.

But I warn you

not to disturb me

for the moment.

Sweet Mother Mary

right next to my stove

I placed a cradle

with ribbons interwove

The Lord can give me

his brightest star

But I prefer the child

you gave me by far

Fantine, I swear.

Do your duty, Javert.

But nothing will prevent me

from doing mine.

Give this to the priest, Sister.

He's to donate

what I leave here to the poor.

It's a very meager share.

The rest is in Paris.

It will be for Cosette.

- Someone just came in here.

- It was Sister Simplice.

- Let me by.

- See for yourself.

Too late!

Leave me, Sister.

Go and hide.

What are you doing here, Sister?

I came for a letter

that Mr. Madeleine left for the priest.

Are you alone in this room?

Listen to me, Sister.

I know you never lie.

Isn't that right?

But it's my duty to insist.

There's no more Mr. Madeleine,

only a certain Jean Valjean,

who just escaped

from the Montreuil jailhouse.

Didn't you know?

We're looking for him.

Have you seen him?

All right.

Excuse me, Sister.

END OF PART ONE:

"So long as poverty and misery

still exist on earth,

works such as this may not be in vain."

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes