Les Misérables, v. 1/5: Fantine
Page 5
CHAPTER III.
A GOOD BISHOP AND A HARD BISHOPRIC.
The Bishop, though he had converted his coach into alms, did not theless make his visitations. The diocese of D---- is fatiguing; thereare few plains and many mountains, and hardly any roads, as we sawjust now: twenty-two curacies, forty-one vicarages, and two hundredand eighty-five chapels of ease. It was a task to visit all these, butthe Bishop managed it. He went on foot when the place was near, in acarriage when it was in the plain, and on a mule when it was in themountains. The two old females generally accompanied him, but when thejourney was too wearying for them he went alone.
One day he arrived at Senez, which is an old Episcopal town, mounted ona donkey; his purse, which was very light at the time, had not allowedhim any other equipage. The Mayor of the city came to receive him atthe door of the Bishop's Palace, and saw him dismount with scandalizedeyes. A few cits were laughing round him. "M. Mayor and gentlemen," theBishop said, "I see what it is that scandalizes you. You consider itgreat pride for a poor priest to ride an animal which our Saviour onceupon a time bestrode. I did so through necessity, I assure you, and notthrough vanity."
On his tours the Bishop was indulgent and gentle, and preached lessthan he conversed. His reasonings and models were never far-fetched,and to the inhabitants of one country he quoted the example of anadjacent country. In those cantons where people were harsh to the needyhe would say, "Look at the people of Brian?on. They have given theindigent, the widows, and the orphans, the right of mowing their fieldsthree days before all the rest. They rebuild their houses gratuitouslywhen they are in ruins. Hence it is a country blessed of GOD. For onehundred years not a single murder has been committed there." To thoseeager for grain and good crops, he said, "Look at the people of Embrun.If a father of a family at harvest-time has his sons in the army, hisdaughters serving in the town, or if he be ill or prevented from toil,the Cur? recommends him in his sermon; and on Sunday after Mass allthe villagers, men, women, and children, go into his field, and cutand carry home his crop." To families divided by questions of money orinheritance he said, "Look at the Highlanders of Devolny, a countryso wild that the nightingale is not heard once in fifty years. Well,when the father of a family dies there the boys go off to seek theirfortune, and leave the property to the girls, so that they may obtainhusbands." In those parts where the farmers are fond of lawsuits, andruin themselves in writs, he would say, "Look at those good peasants ofthe valley of Queyras. There are three thousand souls there. Why, itis like a little republic. Neither judge nor bailiff is known there,and the Mayor does everything. He divides the imposts, taxes everybodyconscientiously, settles quarrels gratis, allots patrimonies withoutfees, gives sentences without costs, and is obeyed because he is a justman among simple men." In villages where there was no schoolmaster heagain quoted the people of Queyras. "Do you know what they do? As asmall place, containing only twelve or fifteen hearths, cannot alwayssupport a master, they have schoolmasters paid by the whole valley,who go from village to village, spending a week in one, ten days inanother, and teaching. These masters go the fairs, where I have seenthem. They can be recognized by the pens they carry in their hat-band.Those who only teach reading have but one pen: those who teach readingand arithmetic have two: those who teach reading, arithmetic, andLatin, have three. But what a disgrace it is to be ignorant! Do likethe people of Queyras."
He spoke thus, gravely and paternally. When examples failed him heinvented parables, going straight to the point, with few phrases and agood deal of imagery. His was the eloquence of the Apostles, convincingand persuading.