Jean Valjean looked up, dazed. 5
"Monseigneur!" he muttered, "then this is not an inn.
He is not just a priest!"
"Silence," commanded the corporal. "This is Monseigneur
the Bishop."
The aged Bishop was making his way to Jean Valjean as 10
rapidly as he could.
"Ah, here you are again," he said, "I am glad to see
you. You know I gave you the candlesticks, too. Why
did you not take them? They are worth at least 200
francs. You should have taken them along with the plate 15
silver."
Words cannot describe the expression in the eyes of Jean
Valjean as he gazed at the Bishop.
"Then, Monseigneur, what this man says is true?" asked
the corporal. "He looked as if he was escaping from somewhere, 20
so we arrested him. And then we found this silver
plate upon him."
"And then," interrupted the Bishop, "he explained, of
course, that an old priest at whose house he stayed last
night gave him the plate? I see. And you brought him 25
back. You were wrong."
"Then we are to let him go?" asked the corporal.
"Certainly," replied the Bishop.