Last Sunday I shared a scene from Victor Hugo's classic, Les Miserables.
Released from prison after 19 years (for stealing a loaf of bread) Jean Valjean is taken in by a bishop and given supper and lodging. Valjean steals his hosts silverware and slips away in the middle of the night only to be stopped by suspicious policemen, questioned and returned to the priests home to see if the silver they found him with was indeed stolen. Here is the dialogue from the musical, it reaches its pinnacle in the bishop's final lines.
[the police constables]
Tell his reverence your story
Let us see if he's impressed
You were lodging here last night
You were the honest Bishop's guest.
And then, out of Christian goodness
When he learned about your plight
You maintain he made a present of this silver.
[Bishop]
That is right.
But my friend you left so early
Surely something slipped your mind
[The bishop gives Valjean two silver candlesticks]
You forgot I gave these also
Would you leave the best behind?
So, Messieurs, you may release him
For this man has spoken true
I commend you for your duty
And God's blessing go with you
But remember this my brother
See in this some higher plan
You must use this precious silver
To become an honest man.
By the witness of the martyrs
By the passion and the blood
God has raised you out of darkness
I have bought your soul for God.
My Lord, by His passion and His blood, has raised me out of darkness and has bought my soul for God! What will I do with the riches of inheritance He has given me?
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