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The greatest literary masterpiece ever written
Main Characters
Part 1 Fantine
In 1815, Monsieur Charles Francois Bienvenu Myriel was bishop of Digne. When he first arrived, Monsieur Myriel was set up in his episcopal palace with all the honours required by imperial decree. The episcopal palace of Digne was next to the hospital. Once he had moved in, the town waited to see their bishop on the job.
Three days after his arrival, the bishop visited the hospital. When his visit was over, he politely begged the director to accompany him back to his place.
"Monsieur le directeur, how many sick people do you have in your hospital at the moment?"
"Twenty-six, Monseigneur."
"That's what I counted."
"The beds are all jammed together," the director went on.
"That's what I noticed."
"The living areas are just bedrooms, and they're difficult to air."
"That's what I thought."
"Then again, when there's a ray of sun, the garden's too small for the convalescents."
"That's what I said to myself."
"What can we do, Monseigneur?" said the director. "We have to resign ourselves to it."
"Monsieur le directeur, how many sick people do you have in your hospital at the moment?"
"Twenty-six, Monseigneur."
"That's what I counted."
"The beds are all jammed together," the director went on.
"That's what I noticed."
"The living areas are just bedrooms, and they're difficult to air."
"That's what I thought."
"Then again, when there's a ray of sun, the garden's too small for the convalescents."
"That's what I said to myself."
"What can we do, Monseigneur?" said the director. "We have to resign ourselves to it."
"Look, my dear director, I'll tell you what. There has obviously been a mistake. There are twenty-six of you in five or six small rooms. There are three of us here and we've got enough room for sixty. There's a mistake, I'm telling you. You've got my place and I've got yours. Give me back my house. It's your rightful home, here."
The next day, the twenty-six poor were moved into the bishop's palace and the bishop was at the hospital.
The next day, the twenty-six poor were moved into the bishop's palace and the bishop was at the hospital.
All he had, he gave to the poor. Out of the 15,000 livres paid him by the crown, he kept only 1,000 livres for his household expenditure annually.
The only luxury he allowed himself was a set of silver cutlery and two silver candlesticks.
The only luxury he allowed himself was a set of silver cutlery and two silver candlesticks.
In the first days of the month of October 1815, about an hour before sunset, a man traveling on foot entered the small town of Digne. The few inhabitants who found themselves at their windows or front doors at that moment watched the traveler with vague anxiety. You would have been hard-pressed to come across anyone on the road more derelict in appearance.