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As for your dear Sylvanie； she has done well in not wasting the few moments which she passes with you in writing to me。
She is well； works as you would wish； and loves me。
That is all that I desire。
The souvenir which she sent through you reached me safely； and it makes me very happy。
My health is not so very bad； and yet I grow thinner every day。
Farewell； my paper is at an end； and this forces me to leave you。
A thousand good wishes。
BAPTISTINE。
P。S。 Your grand nephew is charming。
Do you know that he will soon be five years old？
Yesterday he saw some one riding by on horseback who had on knee…caps； and he said； 〃What has he got on his knees？〃 He is a charming child！
His little brother is dragging an old broom about the room； like a carriage； and saying； 〃Hu！〃
As will be perceived from this letter； these two women understood how to mould themselves to the Bishop's ways with that special feminine genius which prehends the man better than he prehends himself。 The Bishop of D； in spite of the gentle and candid air which never deserted him； sometimes did things that were grand； bold； and magnificent； without seeming to have even a suspicion of the fact。 They trembled； but they let him alone。
Sometimes Madame Magloire essayed a remonstrance in advance； but never at the time； nor afterwards。 They never interfered with him by so much as a word or sign； in any action once entered upon。
At certain moments； without his having occasion to mention it； when he was not even conscious of it himself in all probability； so perfect was his simplicity； they vaguely felt that he was acting as a bishop； then they were nothing more than two shadows in the house。
They served him passively； and if obedience consisted in disappearing； they disappeared。 They understood； with an admirable delicacy of instinct； that certain cares may be put under constraint。
Thus； even when believing him to be in peril； they understood； I will not say his thought； but his nature； to such a degree that they no longer watched over him。 They confided him to God。
Moreover； Baptistine said； as we have just read； that her brother's end would prove her own。
Madame Magloire did not say this； but she knew it。
BOOK FIRSTA JUST MAN
CHAPTER X
THE BISHOP IN THE PRESENCE OF AN UNKNOWN LIGHT
At an epoch a little later than the date of the letter cited in the preceding pages； he did a thing which； if the whole town was to be believed； was even more hazardous than his trip across the mountains infested with bandits。
In the country near D a man lived quite alone。
This man； we will state at once； was a former member of the Convention。 His name was G
Member of the Convention； G was mentioned with a sort of horror in the little world of D A member of the Conventioncan you imagine such a thing？
That existed from the time when people called each other thou； and when they said 〃citizen。〃
This man was almost a monster。
He had not voted for the death of the king； but almost。
He was a quasi…regicide。 He had been a terrible man。 How did it happen that such a man had not been brought before a provost's court； on the return of the legitimate princes？ They need not have cut off his head； if you please； clemency must be exercised； agreed； but a good banishment for life。
An example； in short； etc。
Besides； he was an atheist； like all the rest of those people。
Gossip of the geese about the vulture。
Was G a vulture after all？
Yes； if he were to be judged by the element of ferocity in this solitude of his。
As he had not voted for the death of the king； he had not been included in the decrees of exile； and had been able to remain in France。
He dwelt at a distance of three…quarters of an hour from the city； far from any hamlet； far from any road； in some hidden turn of a very wild valley； no one knew exactly where。
He had there； it was said； a sort of field； a hole； a lair。
There were no neighbors； not even passers…by。 Since he had dwelt in that valley； the path which led thither had disappeared under a growth of grass。 The locality was spoken of as though it had been the dwelling of a hangman。
Nevertheless； the Bishop meditated on the subject； and from time to time he gazed at the horizon at a point where a clump of trees marked the valley of the former member of the Convention； and he said； 〃There is a soul yonder which is lonely。〃
And he added； deep in his own mind； 〃I owe him a visit。〃
But； let us avow it； this idea； which seemed natural at the first blush； appeared to him after a moment's reflection； as strange； impossible； and almost repulsive。
For； at bottom； he shared the general impression； and the old member of the Convention inspired him； without his being clearly conscious of the fact himself； with that sentiment which borders on hate； and which is so well expressed by the word estrangement。
Still； should the scab of the sheep cause the shepherd to recoil？ No。 But what a sheep！
The good Bishop was perplexed。
Sometimes he set out in that direction； then he returned。
Finally； the rumor one day spread through the town that a sort of young shepherd； who served the member of the Convention in his hovel； had e in quest of a doctor； that the old wretch was dying； that paralysis was gaining on him； and that he would not live over night。〃Thank God！〃 some added。
The Bishop took his staff； put on his cloak； on account of his too threadbare cassock； as we have mentioned； and because of the evening breeze which was sure to rise soon； and set out。
The sun was setting； and had almost touched the horizon when the Bishop arrived at the exmunicated spot。
With a certain beating of the heart； he recognized the fact that he was near the lair。 He strode over a ditch； leaped a hedge； made his way through a fence of dead boughs； entered a neglected paddock； took a few steps with a good deal of boldness； and suddenly； at the extremity of the waste land； and behind lofty brambles； he caught sight of the cavern。
It was a very low hut； poor； small； and clean； with a vine nailed against the outside。
Near the door； in an old wheel…chair； the arm…chair of the peasants； there was a white…haired man； smiling at the sun。
Near the seated man stood a young boy； the shepherd lad。 He was offering the old man a jar of milk。
While the Bishop was watching him； the old man spoke：
〃Thank you；〃 he said； 〃I need nothing。〃
And his smile quitted the sun to rest upon the child。
The Bishop stepped forward。
At the sound which he made in walking； the old man turned his head； and his face expressed the sum total of the surprise which a man can still feel after a long life。
〃This is the first time since I have been here；〃 said he； 〃that any one has entered here。
Who are you； sir？〃
The Bishop answered：
〃My name is Bienvenu Myriel。〃
〃Bienvenu Myriel？
I have heard that name。
Are you the man whom the people call Monseigneur Wele？〃
〃I am。〃
The old man resumed with a half…smile
〃In that case； you are my bishop？〃
〃Something of that sort。〃
〃Enter； sir。〃
The member of the Convention extended his hand to the Bishop； but the Bishop did not take it。
The Bishop confined himself to the remark：
〃I am pleased to see that I have been misinformed。
You certainly do not seem to me to be ill。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 replied the old man； 〃I am going to recover。〃
He paused； and then said：
〃I shall die three hours hence。〃
Then he continued：
〃I am something of a doctor； I know in what fashion the last hour draws on。
Yesterday； only my feet were cold； to…day； the chill has ascended to my knees； now I feel it mounting to my waist； when it reaches the heart； I shall stop。
The sun is beautiful； is it not？
I had myself wheeled out here to take a last look at things。
You can talk to me； it does not fatigue me。
You have done well to e and look at a man who is on the point of death。 It is well that there should be witnesses at that moment。
One has one's caprices； I should have liked to last until the dawn； but I know that I shall hardly live three hours。
It will be night then。 What does it matter； after all？
Dying is a simple affair。 One has no need of the light for that。
So be it。
I shall die by starlight。〃
The old man turned to the shepherd lad：
〃Go to thy bed； thou wert awake all last night； thou art tired。〃
The child entered the hut。
The old man followed him with his eyes； and added； as though speaking to himself：
〃I shall die while he sleeps。
The two slumbers may be good neighbors。〃
The Bishop was not touched as it seems that he should have been。 He did not think he discerned God in this manner of dying； let us say the whole； for these petty contradictions of great hearts must be indicated like the rest：
he； who on occasion； was so fond of laughing at 〃His Grace；〃 was rather shocked at not being addressed as Monseigneur； and he was almost tempted to retort 〃citizen。〃 He was assailed by a fancy for peevish familiarity； mon enough to doctors and priests； but which was not habitual with him。 This man； after all； this member of the Convention； this representative of the people； had been one of the powerful ones of the earth； for the first time in his life； probably； the Bishop felt in a mood to be severe。
Meanwhile； the member of the Convention had been surveying him with a modest cordiality； in which one could have distinguished； possibly； that humility which is so fitting when one is on the verge of returning to dust。
The Bishop； on his side； although he generally restrained his curiosity； which； in his opinion； bordered on a fault； could not refrain from examining the member of the Convention with an attention which； as it did not have its course in sympathy； would have served his conscience as a matter of reproach； in connection with any other man。 A member of the Convention produced on him somewhat the effect of being outside the pale of the law； even of the law of charity。
G； calm； his body almost upright； his voice vibrating； was one of those octogenarians who form the subject of astonishment to the physiologist。 The Revolution had many of these men； proportioned to the epoch。 In this old man one was conscious of a man put to the proof。 Though so near to his end； he preserved all the gestures of health。 In his clear glance； in his firm tone； in the robust movement of his shoulders； there was something calculated to disconcert death。 Azrael； the Mohammedan angel of the sepulchre； would have turned back； and thought that he had mistaken the door。
G seemed to be dying because he willed it so。
There was freedom in his agony。
His legs alone were motionless。
It was there that the shadows held him fast。 His feet were cold and dead； but his head survived with all the power of life； and seemed full of light。
G； at this solemn moment； resembled the king in that tale of the Orient who was flesh above and marble below。
There was a stone there。
The Bishop sat down。
The exordium was abrupt。
〃I congratulate you；〃 said he； in the tone which one uses for a reprimand。
〃You did not vote for the death of the king； after all。〃
The old member of the Convention did not appear to notice the bitter meaning underlying the words 〃after all。〃
He replied。 The smile had quite disappeared from his face。
〃Do not congratulate me too much； sir。
I did vote for the death of the tyrant。〃
It was the tone of austerity answering the tone of severity。
〃What do you mean to say？〃 resumed the Bishop。
〃I mean to say that man has a tyrant；ignorance。
I voted for the death of that tyrant。
That tyrant engendered royalty； which is authority falsely understood； while science is authority rightly understood。 Man should be governed only by science。〃
〃And conscience；〃 added the Bishop。
〃It is the same thing。
Conscience is the quantity of innate science which we have within us。〃
Monseigneur Bienvenu listened in some astonishment to this language； which was very new to him。
The member of the Convention resumed：
〃So far as Louis XVI。
was concerned； I said ‘no。' I did not think that I had the right to kill a man； but I felt it my duty to exterminate evil。
I voted the end of the tyrant； that is to say； the end of prostitution for woman； the end of slavery for man； the end of night for the child。
In voting for the Republic； I voted for that。
I voted for fraternity； concord； the dawn。 I have aided in the overthrow of prejudices and errors。
The crumbling away of prejudices and errors causes light。
We have caused the fall of the old world； and the old world； that vase of miseries； has bee； through its upsetting upon the human race； an urn of joy。〃
〃Mixed joy；〃 said the Bishop。
〃You may say troubled joy； and to…day； after that fatal return of the past； which is called 1814； joy which has disappeared！ Alas！
The work was inplete； I admit：
we demolished the ancient regime in deeds； we were not able to suppress it