Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the one hundred fifty-second chapter of Les Miserables.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Take a look, in the book and let's see

what we can find.

Take it chapter by chapter. One

fight M at a time

so many adventures and

mountains we can climb

to give word for word, line by

line, one bite at a time.

>> Brie Carlisle: Welcome to bite at a time books where we read you your

favorite classics, one byte at a time. my name is

Bre Carlisle and I love to read and wanted to

share my passion with listeners like you. If you

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byte at a time books.

>> Brie Carlisle: Brand values today well be

continuing.

Les Miserable by Victor Hugo

chapter six a bit of history

at the epoch nearly contemporary,

by the way, when the action of this book takes place,

there was not, as there is today, a, policeman at the

corner of every street, a benefit which theres

no time to discuss. Here, stray children

abounded in Paris. The statistics give an

average of 260 homeless children picked up annually

at that period by the police patrols in

unenclosed lands, in houses in process of

construction, and under the arches of the

bridges. one of these nests, which has become famous,

produced the swallows of the bridge of Arcola.

This is, moreover, the most disastrous

of social symptoms. All crimes of the

man begin in the vagabondage of the child.

Let us make an exception in favor of Paris.

Nevertheless, in relative measure,

and in spite of the souvenir which we have just recalled,

the exception is just while in

any other great city, the vagabond child is a lost

man, while nearly everywhere the child left

to itself is in some sort

sacrificed and abandoned. To a kind of fatal immersion

in the public vices which devour in him

honesty and conscience. The straight boy

of Paris, we insist on

this point, however defaced and injured on the

surface, is almost intact on the

interior. It is a magnificent thing to

put on record, and one which shines forth in

the splendid probity of our popular revolutions.

That a certain incorruptibility results from the

idea which exists in the air of Paris. As,

salt exists in the water of the ocean.

To breathe Paris preserves the soul.

What we have just said takes away nothing of the anguish of

heart. Which one experiences every time that one

meets one of these children. Around whom one

fancies that he beholds. Floating the threads of a broken

family. In the civilization of the present

day. incomplete as it still is, it is not

a very abnormal thing to behold. These fractured families

pouring themselves out into the darkness,

not knowing clearly what has become of their children.

And allowing their own entrails to fall on the public

highway. Hence these obscure

destinies this is called for.

This sad thing has given rise to an expression to

be cast on the pavements of Paris.

Let it be said, by the way, that this abandonment of children.

Was not discouraged by the ancient monarchy.

A little of Egypt and Bohemia in the lower regions suited

the upper spheres, encompassed the aims of the

powerful. The hatred of instruction for

the children of the people was a dogma.

What is the use of half lights?

Such was the countersign. Now

the erring child is the corollary of the ignorant child.

Besides this, the monarchy sometimes was in need of

children. And in that case, it skimmed the

streets under Louis XIV.

Not to go any further back. The king rightly desired

to create a fleet. The idea was a

good one. But let us consider the

means. There can be no fleet if

beside the sailing ship, that plaything of the winds.

And for the purpose of towing it. In case of necessity, there

is not the vessel which goes where it pleases, either

by means of oars or of steam. The

galleys were then to the marine what steamers are today.

Therefore, galleys were necessary, but

the galley is moved only by the galley slave.

Hence, galley slaves were required.

Colbert had the commissioners of provinces and the

parliaments make as many convicts as possible.

The magistracy showed a great deal of complacence in

the matter. A man kept his hat on in the presence of

a procession. It was a huguenot

attitude. He was sent to the galleys.

A child was encountered in the streets. Provided

that he was 15 years of age and did not know where he was to

sleep. He was sent to the galleys.

Grand Reign, grand century

under Louis XV, children disappeared

in Paris. The police carried them off. For what

mysterious purpose, no one knew.

People whispered with terror monstrous conjectures

as to the king's baths of purple. Barbara

speaks ingeniously of these things. It

sometimes happened that the exempts of the guard,

when they ran short of children, took those who had fathers.

The fathers, in despair, attacked the exempts.

In that case, the parliament intervened and had someone

hung. Who?

The exempts? No,

the fathers. Thank you for

joining bite at a time books today while we read a

bite of one of your favorite classics.

Again, my name is Bree Carlisle, and.

>> Brie Carlisle: I hope you come back tomorrow for.

>> Brie Carlisle: The next bite of Les

Miserables.

>> Brie Carlisle: Dont forget to sign up for our

newsletter@biteaudatimebooks.com and

check out the shop. You can check out the show notes

or our website, byteaditimebooks.com,

for the rest of the links for our show. wed love to hear from you

on social media as well.

>> Brie Carlisle: Take a look and let's

see what we can find.

Take it chapter by chapter. One.