Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the sixty-fourth chapter of Les Miserables.

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>> Speaker A: 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.

>> Brie Carlisle: So.

>> Speaker A: Many adventures and mountains

we can climb

to give word for word, line by

line, one bite at a time.

>> Brie Carlisle: Welcome.

>> Brie Carlisle: To bite at a time books where we read you your favorite

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

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>> Brie Carlisle: Today well be continuing Les Miserable

by Victor Hugo

chapter ten the system of

denials the moment

for closing the debate had arrived.

The president had, the accused stand up and

address to him the customary question.

>> Brie Carlisle: Have you anything to add, to your defense?

>> Brie Carlisle: The man did not appear to understand.

As he stood there twisting in his hands a

terrible cap which he had, the president

repeated the question. This time the man

heard it. He seemed to understand.

He made a motion like a man whos just waking

up, cast his eyes about him,

stared at the audience legend arms

his counsel, the jury. The

court laid his monstrous fist on the

rim of woodwork in front of his bench, took

another look, and all at

once, fixing his glance upon the district attorney,

he began to speak. It was like an

eruption, it seemed, from the

manner in which the words escaped from his mouth,

incoherent, impetuous pell

mell tumbling over each other, as though they

were all pressing forward to issue forth at once.

>> Brie Carlisle: He said, this is what I have to

say that ive been a wheel ride in

Paris, and, that he was with Monsieur Balop.

It is a hard trade in the wheel rides.

Trade. One works always in the open air,

in courtyards, under sheds, when the masters

are good. Never in closed

workshops, because space is required.

You see, in winter, one gets so

cold that one beats ones arms together to

warm oneself. But the masters dont like

it. They say it wastes time

handling iron when theres ice between the paving

stones. Is hard work that wears a man

out quickly. One is old while hes

still quite young. In that trade, at 40, a

man is done for. I was 53.

I was in a bad state. And then

workmen are so mean. When a man is no longer

young, they call him nothing but an old

bird, old beast. I was not

earning more than 30 sous a day. They paid me

as little as possible. Masters took

advantage of my age. And then I had my daughter,

who was a laundress at the river. She earned a little

also. It sufficed for us, too.

She had trouble also, all day long, up to

her waist, in a tub, in rain, in

snow. When the wind cuts your face,

when it freezes, it is all the same. You must

still wash. There are people who have not much

linen and wait until late. If you do not wash,

you lose your custom. The planks are badly

joined and water drops on you from everywhere. You

have your petticoats all damp above and below

that penetrates. She has also worked at

the laundry of the infant's rugs, where the water comes

through faucets. You are not in the tub there.

You wash at the faucet in front of you and rinse in

a basin behind you, as, it is enclosed. You

are not so cold, but there is that hot steam

which is terrible, in which ruins your eyes.

She came home at 07:00 in the evening and

went to bed at once. She was so tired her

husband beat her. She is dead.

Weve not been very happy. She was a good

girl who did not go to the ball and who was very

peaceable. I, remember one shrove Tuesday when she

went to bed at 08:00. There im

telling the truth. You have only to ask. Ah,

yes. How stupid I am. Paris is a gulf.

Who knows? Father Chantmouth, you there. But Monsieur

Balop does. I tell you, go see at Monsieur

Balops. And after all, I dont know what is wanted of

me.

>> Brie Carlisle: The man ceased speaking and

remained standing. He had said these

things in a loud, rapid, hoarse voice,

with a sort of irritated and savage

ingenuousness. Once he paused

to salute someone in the crowd. The sort of

affirmations which he seemed to fling out before him at random

came like hiccups, and to each he

added the gesture of a woodcutter whos splitting wood.

When he had finished, the audience burst into a laugh.

He stared at the public and, perceiving that they were

laughing and not understanding why, he began to laugh

himself. It was inauspicious.

The president, an attentive and benevolent man,

raised his voice. He reminded the gentleman

of the jury that the Sieur

Baloob, formerly a master wheelwright,

with whom the accused stated that he had served, had

been summoned in vain. He had become bankrupt

and was not to be found. Then,

turning to the accused, he enjoined him to listen to what he

was about to say and added, you are.

>> Brie Carlisle: In a position where reflection is necessary. The

gravest presumptions rest upon you and may induce

vital results. Prisoner, in your own

interests, I summon you for the last time to explain

yourself clearly on two points. In the first

place, did you or did you not climb the wall of the

pyren orchard, break the branch, and steal the

apples, that is to say, commit the crime

of breaking in and theft? In the second

place, are you the discharged convict, Jean

Valjean? Yes or no?

>> Brie Carlisle: The prisoner shook his head with a capable air,

like a man who is thoroughly understood and who

knows what answer hes going to make. He opened

his mouth, turned towards the.

>> Brie Carlisle: President, and said, in the first

place.

>> Brie Carlisle: Then he stared at his cap, stared at the

ceiling, and held his peace.

Prisoner, said the district attorney in

a severe voice, pay attention.

>> Brie Carlisle: You are not answering anything that has been asked of you.

Your embarrassment condemns you. It is evident

that your name is not chant Mathieu, that you are the

convict Jean Valjean concealed first under the name of

Jean Matthieu, which was the name of his mother.

That you went to Auvergne, that you were born at

Favrole, where you were a pruner of trees.

It is evident that youve been guilty of entering and of

the theft of ripe apples from the piran orchard. The

gentlemen of the jury will form their own opinion.

>> Brie Carlisle: The prisoner had finally resumed his seat.

He arose abruptly when the district attorney had finished and

exclaimed, you are very.

>> Brie Carlisle: Wicked that you are. This what I wanted to

say. I could not find words for it at first.

I have stolen nothing. I am a man who does not

have something to eat every day. I was coming from

Ailee. I was walking through the country after a

shower which had made the whole country yellow even the

ponds were overflowed, and nothing sprang from the sand

any more but the little blades of grass. At the wayside, I

found a broken branch with apples on the ground.

I picked up the branch without knowing that it would get me into trouble.

I have been in prison, and they have been dragging me about for the

last three months. More than that, I cannot

say. People talk against me. They tell me,

answer. The jindarm, whos a good fellow, nudges my

elbow and says to me in a low voice, come,

answer. I dont know how to explain. I

have no education. Im a poor man. That is where

they wrong me, because they do not see. This. I

have not stolen. I picked up from the ground things that

were lying there. You say Jean Valjean? Jean

Mathieu. I dont know those persons. They are

villagers I worked for Monsieur Balloub,

Boulevard de la hospital. My name is Chant

Mathieu. You, are very clever to tell me where I was

born. I dont know myself. Its not

everybody who has a house in which to come into the world. That would

be too convenient. I think that my father and mother. Were people

who strolled along the highways. I know nothing

different. When I was a child, they called me young

fellow. now they call me old fellow. Those are my

baptismal names. Take that as you like. Ive been

in Auvergne. Ive been at Faverole. Pardi.

Well, cant a man have been in Auvergne or at Favarole. Without

having been in the galleys? I tell you that ive not stolen,

and that I am Father chant Mathieu. I have been with Monsieur

Balop, had a settled residence. You

worry me with your nonsense there. Why is everybody

pursuing me so furiously?

>> Brie Carlisle: The district attorney had remained standing.

He addressed the president.

>> Brie Carlisle: Monsieur Le president. In view of the

confused but exceedingly clever denials of the

prisoner. Who would like to pass himself off as

an idiot, but who will not succeed in so doing.

>> Brie Carlisle: We shall attend to that.

>> Brie Carlisle: We demand that it shall please you, and that it shall please the

court.

To summon once more into this place the convicts

brevet, Cachapale and Shenandieu. And

police Inspector Javert. And questioned

them for the last time as to the identity of the prisoner with

the convict, Jean Valjean. I would

remind the district attorney, said the president.

That police inspector Javert, recalled by his

duties to the capital of a neighboring arrondissement.

Left the courtroom in the town as soon as he had made his

deposition. We have accorded him permission with the

consent of the district attorney and of the counsel for the

prisoner.

>> Brie Carlisle: That is true, Mister president, responded the

district attorney.

>> Brie Carlisle: In the absence of Sieur Javert, I

think it my duty to remind the gentlemen of the jury of what he

said here a few hours ago. Javert is an

estimable man who does honor by his

rigorous and strict probity to inferior but important

functions. These are the terms of his

deposition. I do not even stand in need of

circumstantial proofs and moral presumptions to give the lie

to the prisoners denial. I recognize him

perfectly. The name of this man is not Champ

Mathieu. He is an ex convict named Jean

Valjean. It is very vicious and much to be

feared. It is only with the extreme

regret that he was released. At the expiration of his

term. He underwent 19 years of penal

servitude for theft. He made five or six attempts

to escape. Besides a theft from little Dravaille

and from the piran orchard. I suspect him of a

theft committed in the house of his grace, the late bishop of

Dee. I often saw him at the time when I was a

judent of the galley guard at the prison in Toulon.

I repeat that I recognize him perfectly.

>> Brie Carlisle: This extremely precise statement appeared to

produce a vivid impression on the public and on the jury.

The district attorney concluded by insisting that in default

of Javert, the three witnesses, Brevet,

Chenille and Cockapeale, should be heard once

more and solemnly interrogated.

The president transmitted the order to an usher,

and a moment later the door of the witnesses room

opened. The usher, accompanied

by a gendarme ready to lend him armed assistance,

introduced the convict brevet. The

audience was in suspense, and all breasts

heaved as though they had contained but one soul.

The ex convict Brevet wore the black and gray waistcoat

of the central prisons. Brevet was a

person, 60 years of age, who had a sort of

businessmans face and the air of a

rascal. The two sometimes go

together in prison, whither fresh

misdeeds had led him. He had become something in the nature of

a turnkey.

>> Brie Carlisle: He, was a man of whom.

>> Brie Carlisle: His superiors said he tries to make himself of

use. The chaplains bore good

testimony as to his religious habits.

It must not be forgotten that this passed under the

restoration. Brevet, said the

president, you have undergone.

>> Brie Carlisle: An ignominious sentence and you cannot take an oath.

>> Brie Carlisle: Brevet dropped his eyes.

Nevertheless, continued the president,

even in the.

>> Brie Carlisle: Man whom the law has degraded, there may remain,

when the divine mercy permits it, a sentiment

of honor and of equity. It is to this

sentiment that I appeal at this decisive hour,

if it still exists in you, and I hope it

does reflect before replying to me,

consider on the one hand, this man, whom a word

from you may ruin, on the other hand,

justice, which a word from you may enlighten.

The instant is solemn. There is still time to

retract if you think you have been mistaken.

Rise, prisoner brevet. Take a good look

at the accused. Recall your souvenirs, and

tell us on your soul and conscience, if you persist

in recognizing this man as your former companion in the

galleys, Jean Valjean.

>> Brie Carlisle: Revitt looked at the prisoner, then turned

towards the court.

>> Brie Carlisle: Yes, mister president. I was the first to

recognize him, and I stick to it. That, man

is Jean Valjean, who entered at, Toulon in

1796 and left in

1815. I left a year later.

He has the heir of a brute now, but it must be

because ages brutalized him. He was sly

at the galleys. I recognize him positively.

>> Brie Carlisle: Take your seat, said the president.

>> Brie Carlisle: Prisoner remains standing.

>> Brie Carlisle: Chenault Ju was brought in prisoner for

life, as was indicated by his red

cassock and his green cap. He was

serving out his sentence at the galleys of Toulon,

whence he had been brought for this case. He was

a small man of about 50, brisk,

wrinkled, frail, yellow, brazen faced,

feverish, who had a sort of sickly

feebleness about all his limbs and his whole person,

and an immense force in his glance. His

companions in the galleys had nicknamed him I deny

God je nee jou Chenault.

The president addressed him in nearly the same words which he

had used to brevet at the moment when

he reminded him of his infamy, which deprived him of the right

to take an oath. General Ju raised his head and

looked the crowd in the face. The president invited

him to reflection. Ah, and asked him, as

he had asked brevet, if he persisted in recognition of the

prisoner. Channelju burst out laughing.

>> Brie Carlisle: Pardieu its if I didnt recognize him.

>> Brie Carlisle: We were attached to the same chain for five years.

>> Brie Carlisle: So youre sulking, old fellow, go

take.

>> Brie Carlisle: Your seat, said the president. The usher

brought in Cockapail. He was another convict for

life who had come from the galleys and was

dressed in red like Chennel. Ju was a

peasant from Lourdes and a half bear of the

Pyrenees. He had guarded the flocks among

the mountains, and from a shepherd he had slipped into a

brigand. Kagapail was no less

savage and seemed even more stupid than the

prisoner. He was one of those wretched

men whom nature had sketched out for wild beasts

and on whom society puts the finishing touches as

convicts in the galleys. The president

tried to touch him with some grave and pathetic words

and asked him, as, he had asked the other two, if he

persisted without hesitation or trouble in

recognizing the man who was standing before him.

He is Jean Valjean, said. Cockapail.

He was even called Jean the screw.

>> Brie Carlisle: Because he was so strong.

>> Brie Carlisle: Each of these affirmations from these three men,

evidently sincere and in good faith, had

raised in the audience a murmur of bad augury for the

prisoner, a murmur which

increased and lasted longer each time that a fresh

declaration was added to the proceeding.

The prisoner had listened to them with.

>> Brie Carlisle: That astounded face, which was, according to.

>> Brie Carlisle: The accusation, his principal means of

defense. At the first, the

gendarmes, his neighbors, had heard him mutter

between his teeth.

>> Brie Carlisle: Oh, well, he is a nice one.

>> Brie Carlisle: After the second, he said a little louder, with

an air that was almost that of satisfaction.

>> Brie Carlisle: Good. At the third, he cried,

famous.

>> Brie Carlisle: The president addressed him.

>> Brie Carlisle: Have you heard, prisoner? What have you to

say?

>> Brie Carlisle: He replied, I say,

famous.

>> Brie Carlisle: An uproar broke out among the audience and was

communicated to the jury. It was evident

that the man was lost. Ushers, said the

president, enforced silence.

>> Brie Carlisle: Im going to sum up the arguments.

>> Brie Carlisle: At that moment, there was a movement just beside the

president. A voice was heard crying,

brevet chenoju, cockapail. Look

here. All who heard that

voice were chilled. So lamentable and

terrible was it. All eyes were turned to the

point whence it had proceeded. A

man placed among the privileged

spectators who were seated behind the courtyard had just

risen, had pushed open the half.

>> Brie Carlisle: Door which separated the tribunal from the.

>> Brie Carlisle: Audience and was standing in the middle of the

hall. The president, the district

attorney, Monsieur Babanton Bois, 20

persons recognized him and exclaimed in

concert, Monsieur Madeleine,

thank you for joining Byte at a time books today while we

read a bite of one of your favorite classics.

Again, my name is Brie Carlisle and

I hope you come back tomorrow for the next bite

of Le Miserable.

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

newsletter@biteattimebooks.com and

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

or our website, biteatamebooks.com,

for the rest of the links for our show, wed love

to hear from you on social media as well.

>> Speaker A: Take it chapter by chapter. One.