This postI picked up my French copy of Les Misérables on a whim just a few minutes ago, and as fate would have it, opened directly to my favorite passage. Now, I didn’t immediately recognize the passage, seeing as my French comprehension is still a bit on the slow side. :) Not to mention that I’ve barely cracked open this particular edition. So it was extremely unlikely that I’d open to this passage, let alone recognize it. Anyway, here it is:
Cependant monseigneur Bienvenu s’était approché aussi vivement que son grand âge le lui permettait.
– Ah! vous voilà! s’écria-t-il en regardant Jean Valjean. Je suis aise de vous voir. Eh bien, mais! je vous avais donné les chandeliers aussi, qui sont en argent comme le reste et dont vous pourrez bien avoir deux cents francs. Pourquoi ne les avez-vous pas emportés avec vos couverts?
Jean Valjean ouvrit les yeux et regarda le vénérable évêque avec une expression qu’aucune langue humaine ne pourrait rendre.
And here’s the English, courtesy of Project Gutenberg’s copy of Isabel Hapgood’s translation:
In the meantime, Monseigneur Bienvenu had advanced as quickly as his great age permitted.
“Ah! here you are!” he exclaimed, looking at Jean Valjean. “I am glad to see you. Well, but how is this? I gave you the candlesticks too, which are of silver like the rest, and for which you can certainly get two hundred francs. Why did you not carry them away with your forks and spoons?”
Jean Valjean opened his eyes wide, and stared at the venerable Bishop with an expression which no human tongue can render any account of.
One of the most beautiful moments in literature, this brief episode has taught me volumes about charity and what it really means to be Christian. Yet another reason why I love books. :)
