Now, in order to convey an idea of what passed at that table, we cannot do better than to transcribe here a passage from one of Mademoiselle Baptistine’s letters to Madame Boischevron, wherein the conversation between the convict and the Bishop is described with ingenious minuteness.
This man paid no attention to any one. He ate with the voracity of a starving man.
However, after supper he said: '‘Monsieur le Curé of the good God, all this is far too good for me; but I must say that the carters who would not allow me to eat with them keep a better table than you do. ’ 'Between ourselves, the remark rather shocked me.
My brother replied:— '‘They are more fatigued than I. ’ '‘No,’ returned the man, ‘they have more money. You are poor; I see that plainly. You cannot be even a curate. Are you really a curé? Ah, if the good God were but just, you certainly ought to be a curé!
’ '‘The good God is more than just,’ said my brother. 'A moment later he added:— '‘Monsieur Jean Valjean, is it to Pontarlier that you are going? ’ '‘With my road marked out for me. ’ 'I think that is what the man said.
Then he went on:— '‘I must be on my way by daybreak to-morrow. Travelling is hard. If the nights are cold, the days are hot. ’ '‘You are going to a good country,’ said my brother. ‘During the Revolution my family was ruined.
I took refuge in Franche-Comté at first, and there I lived for some time by the toil of my hands. My will was good. I found plenty to occupy me. One has only to choose.
There are paper mills, tanneries, distilleries, oil factories, watch factories on a large scale, steel mills,