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Les Miserables - Volume 1 - Book 7 - Chapter 5
Episode 5912th June 2024 • Bite at a Time Books • Bree Carlile
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Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the fifty-ninth chapter of Les Miserables.

Come with us as we release one bite a day of one of your favorite classic novels, plays & short stories. Bree reads these classics like she reads to her daughter, one chapter a day. If you love books or audiobooks and want something to listen to as you're getting ready, driving to work, or as you're getting ready for bed, check out Bite at a Time Books!

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>> Speaker A: Take a look, in the book and let's see

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what we can find.

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Take it chapter by chapter. One

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fight M at a time.

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>> Brie Carlisle: So.

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>> Speaker A: Many adventures and mountains

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we can climb

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to give word for word, line by

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line, one bite at a time.

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

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favorite classics one byte at a time. my name is

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Bre Carlisle and I love to read and wanted to

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show notes, but also our website,

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our show, including to our Patreon to

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support the show and YouTube, where we have special

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behind the narration of the episodes were part

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of the byte at a Time Books productions network. If

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youd also like to hear what inspired your favorite classic

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authors to write their novels and what was going

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on in the world at the time, check out the bite at a time

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books behind the story podcast. Wherever you

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listen to podcasts, please note,

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while we try to keep the text as close to the original as

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possible, some words have been changed

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to honor the marginalized communities whove identified the

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words as harmful and to stay in alignment

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with byte at a time books brand.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Values today well be

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continuing les miserable by Victor

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Hugo chapter five

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hindrances the

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posting service from heiress to m sur m was still

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operated at this period by small mail wagons of the

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time of the empire. These mail wagons

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were two wheeled cabriolets, upholstered inside

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with fawn colored leather, hung on springs,

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and having but two seats, one for the

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postboy, the other for the traveler.

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The wheels were armed with those long offensive axles

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which keep other vehicles at a distance and which

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may still be seen on the road in Germany. The

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dispatch box, an immense oblong coffer, was

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placed behind the vehicle and formed a part of it.

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This coffer was painted black and the cabriolet

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yellow. These vehicles, which

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have no counterparts nowadays, had something

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distorted and hunchbacked about them, and

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when one saw them passing in the distance and

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climbing up some road to the horizon, they resembled the

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insects which are called, I think,

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termites and which,

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with but little corselet, drag a great train behind

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them. But they traveled at a very rapid

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rate. The post wagon, which was sent out from

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Arras at 01:00 every night after the mail from Paris

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had passed. Arrived at m sur m a little before

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00 in the morning. That night the

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wagon, which was descending to m sur m m by the Hesden

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road. Collided at the corner of a street just

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as it was entering the town with a little Tilbury harnessed

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to a white horse which was going in the opposite

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direction. And in which there was but one person,

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a man, enveloped in a m mantle. The wheel

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of the Tilbury received quite a violent shock.

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The postman shouted to the man to stop, but the

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traveler paid no heed and pursued his road at full

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gallop. That man is in a devilish hurry. said

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the postman. The man thus hastening on was

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the one whom we have just seen struggling in convulsions. Which are

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certainly deserving of pity. Whither was he

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going? He could not have told.

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Why was he hastening? He did not

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know. He was driving at random, straight

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ahead. Whither to Eris, no

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doubt. But he might have been going elsewhere as well.

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At times he was conscious of it, and he

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shuddered. He plunged into the night as into a

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gulf. Something urged him forward.

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Something drew him on. No one could have

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told what was taking place within him. Everyone

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will understand it. What man is there who has

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not entered at least once in his life into that obscure cavern

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of the unknown? However, he had resolved on

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nothing, decided nothing,

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formed no plan, done nothing.

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None of the actions of his conscience had been

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decisive. He was more than

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ever as he had been at the first moment.

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Why was it going to Eris? He repeated what he

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had already said to himself. When he had hired chauffeurs Cambria.

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That whatever the result was to be. There was no reason

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why he should not see with his own eyes and judge

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of matters for himself. That this was even prudent.

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That he must know what took place. That no

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decision could be arrived at without having observed and

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scrutinized. That one made mountains out

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of everything from a distance. That, at

:

any rate, when he should have seen that chant Mathieu.

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Some wretch his conscience would probably be

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greatly relieved to allow him to go to the galleys. And his

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stead that Javert would indeed be there. And

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that brevet, that chandelier, that cock a bale.

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Old convicts who had known him. But they

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certainly would not recognize him. Bah. What an

:

idea. That Javert, was a hundred leagues from suspecting

:

the truth. That all conjectures and all

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suppositions were fixed on chap. Mathieu. And that there

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is nothing so headstrong as suppositions and

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conjectures. That accordingly, there was no

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danger, that it was

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no doubt a dark moment, but that he should

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emerge from it. That after all, he held his

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destiny, however bad it might be in his own

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hand, that he was m master of it.

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He clung to this thought at, bottom. To

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tell the whole truth, he would have preferred not to go to

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Aerys. Nevertheless, he was going

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thither. As he meditated,

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he whipped up his horse, which was proceeding at

:

that fine, regular, and even trot, which accomplishes

:

two leagues and a half an hour in

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proportion as the cabriolet advanced, he felt something

:

within him draw back. At daybreak, he was in

:

the open country. The town of Imsur. M m

:

lay far behind him. He watched the horizon

:

grow white. He stared at all the chilly

:

figures of a winters dawn as they passed before his

:

eyes, but without seeing them.

:

The morning had its specters as well as the evening.

:

He did not see them, but without being

:

aware of it, and by means of a sort of

:

penetration which was almost physical,

:

these black silhouettes of trees and of

:

hills added some gloomy and sinister quality

:

to the violent state of his soul.

:

Each time that he passed one of those isolated dwellings which

:

sometimes border on the highway, he said to himself,

:

and yet there are people there within who are

:

sleeping. A trot of the horse,

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the bells on the harness, the wheels on the road

:

produced a gentle, monotonous noise.

:

These things are charming when one is joyous and

:

lugubrious when one is sad. It was

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broad daylight when he arrived at Hesden. He

:

halted in front of the inn to allow the horse a breathing

:

spell and to have him given some oats.

:

The horse belonged, as, chauffeilur had said, to that

:

small race of the Bolognese, which has too

:

much head, too much belly, and not enough

:

neck and shoulders, but which has a broad

:

chest, a large crupper, thin,

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fine legs and solid hooves.

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A homely but a robust and healthy race.

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The excellent beast had traveled five leagues in 2

:

hours and had not a drop of sweat on his loins.

:

He did not get out of the Tilbury. The

:

stableman who brought the oats suddenly bent down and

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examined the left wheel. Are you going far in this

:

condition? Said the man. He replied,

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with an air of not having roused himself from his reverie.

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Why have you come from a great

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distance? Went on the man. Five

:

leagues. Ah. Why do you say ah?

:

the man bent down once more, was silent for

:

a moment with his eyes fixed on the wheel. Then he

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rose erect and said, because

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though this wheel has traveled five leagues,

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it certainly will not travel another quarter of a league.

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He sprang out of the Tilbury. What is that you

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say, my friend? I say that it

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is a miracle that you should have traveled five leagues without

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you and your horse rolling into some ditch on the highway.

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Just see here. The wheel really

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had suffered serious damage. The shock

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administered by the mail wagon had split two spokes and

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strained the hub so that the nut no longer held

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firm.

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My friend, he said to the stableman,

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is there will right here? Certainly,

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sir. Do me the service to go and fetch

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him. Hes only a step away from here.

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Hey, Master Borglard. Master

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Borglard. The wheelwright was standing on his own

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threshold. He came, examined the

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wheel, and made a grimace like a surgeon when the latter

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thinks the limb is broken. Can you repair this

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wheel immediately?

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>> Brie Carlisle: Yes, sir.

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>> Brie Carlisle: When can I set out again?

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>> Brie Carlisle: Tomorrow.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Tomorrow?

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>> Brie Carlisle: Theres a long days work on it. Are you in a hurry,

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sir?

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>> Brie Carlisle: In a very great hurry. I must set out again in an

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hour at the latest.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Impossible, sir.

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>> Brie Carlisle: I will pay whatever you ask.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Impossible.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Well, in 2 hours then.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Impossible. Today two new spokes and a

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hub must be made. Monsir will not be able to start before

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tomorrow morning.

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>> Brie Carlisle: The master cannot wait until tomorrow. What

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if you were to replace this wheel instead of repairing it?

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>> Brie Carlisle: How so?

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>> Brie Carlisle: you are a wheelwright?

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>> Brie Carlisle: Certainly, sir.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Have you not a wheel that you can sell me? Then

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I could start again at once.

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>> Brie Carlisle: A, spare wheel?

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>> Brie Carlisle: Yes.

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>> Brie Carlisle: I have no wheel on hand that would fit your

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cabriolet. Two wheels make a

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pair. Two wheels cannot be put together

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haphazard.

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>> Brie Carlisle: In that case, sell me a pair of wheels.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Not all wheels fit all axles, sir.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Try nevertheless.

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>> Brie Carlisle: It is useless, sir. I have nothing to sell but

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cartwheels. We are but a poor country

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here.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Have you a cabriolet that you can let me have?

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The wheelwright had seen at the first glance that the Tilbury was a

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hired vehicle. He shrugged his shoulders.

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>> Brie Carlisle: You treat the cabriolets the people let you so.

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Well, if I had one, I would not let it to

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you.

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>> Brie Carlisle: well, sell it to me then.

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>> Brie Carlisle: I have none.

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>> Brie Carlisle: What, not even a spring cart? Im not

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hard to please.

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>> Brie Carlisle: As you see, we live in a poor country.

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There is, in truth, added the wheelwright,

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an old calish under the shed yonder which

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belongs to a burgoy of the town, who gave it to me

:

to take care of and who only uses it. On the 36th of the

:

month? Never. That is to say,

:

I might let that to you for what matters it to me.

:

But the burgoy must not see it pass. And

:

then it is a calish. It would require two

:

horses.

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>> Brie Carlisle: I will take two post horses.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Where is Monsieur going? Daerys

:

and monsieur wishes to reach there today.

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>> Brie Carlisle: yes, of course.

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>> Brie Carlisle: By taking two post horses.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Why not?

:

>> Brie Carlisle: Does it make any difference whether Monsieur arrives at

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00 tomorrow morning?

:

>> Brie Carlisle: Certainly not.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: There is one thing to be said about that. You see, by taking post

:

horses, monsieur has his passport.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Yes.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Well, by taking post horses. Monsieur cannot reach

:

Arras before tomorrow. We are on a crossroad.

:

The relays are badly served. The horses are in the

:

fields. The season for plowing is just

:

beginning. Heavy teams are required and horses are

:

seized upon everywhere. From the post as well as

:

elsewhere. Monsir will have to wait three or 4 hours at the

:

least, at every relay. And then they drive it a

:

walk. There are many hills to ascend.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Come then, I will go on horseback. Unharness the

:

cabriolet. Someone can surely sell me a saddle in the

:

neighborhood.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Without doubt. But will this horse bear the saddle?

:

>> Brie Carlisle: That is true. You remind me of that. He

:

will not bear it then. But I can surely hire

:

a horse in the village.

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>> Brie Carlisle: A horse to travel to Eris in one stretch?

:

>> Brie Carlisle: Yes.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: That would require such a horse as to not exist in these

:

parts. You would have to buy it to begin with because no one

:

knows you. but you will not find one for sale, nor to let for

:

500 francs or 4000.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: What am I to do?

:

>> Brie Carlisle: the best thing is to let me repair the wheel like an honest man

:

and set out on your journey tomorrow.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Tomorrow will be too late.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Meduse.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: Is there not a mail wagon which runs to Eris?

:

>> Brie Carlisle: When will it pass? Tonight.

:

Both the posts pass at night. The one going

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as well as the one coming.

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>> Brie Carlisle: What? It will take you a day to mend this wheel.

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>> Brie Carlisle: A day in the good long one.

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>> Brie Carlisle: If you set two men to work.

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>> Brie Carlisle: If I set ten men to work?

:

>> Brie Carlisle: What if the spokes were to be.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: Tied together with ropes? That could be done with the

:

spokes, not with the hub. And the feli is in a bad

:

state too.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: Is there anyone in this village who lets out

:

teams? No.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: Ah.

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>> Brie Carlisle: Is there another wheelwright? The

:

stableman and the wheelwright replied in concert with a

:

toss of the head.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: No.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: He felt an immense joy. It was

:

evident that Providence was intervening. That

:

it was it who had broken the wheel of the Tilbury and who was stopping

:

him on the road. He had not yielded to this sort of

:

first summons. He had just made every possible

:

effort to continue the journey. He had

:

loyally and scrupulously exhausted all means.

:

He had been deterred neither by the season nor fatigue.

:

Nor by the expense. He had nothing with which to

:

reproach himself. If he went no further. That was

:

no fault of his. It did not concern him

:

further. It was no longer his fault.

:

It was not the act of his own conscience, but the act of

:

providence. He breathed again.

:

He breathed freely into the full extent of his

:

lungs. For the first time since javerts visit.

:

It seemed to him that the hand of iron which

:

had held his heart in its grasp for the last 20 hours.

:

Had just released him. It seemed to him

:

that God was for him now. And was manifesting

:

himself. He said to himself that he had done

:

all he could. And that, now he had nothing to do but

:

retrace his steps quietly. if his

:

conversation with the wheelwright had taken place in a chamber of the

:

inn. It would have had no witnesses.

:

No one would have heard him. Things would have rested

:

there. And it is probable that we should not have had to

:

relate any of the occurrences which the reader is about to

:

peruse. But this conversation

:

had taken place in the street. Any colloquy

:

in the street inevitably attracts a crowd. There are

:

always people who ask nothing better than to become

:

spectators. While he was questioning

:

the wheelwright. Some people who were passing back and

:

forth. Halted around them. After

:

listening for a few minutes. A young lad to whom no one

:

had paid any heed. Detached himself from the group and ran

:

off. At the moment when the

:

traveler, after the inward deliberation which we have

:

just described. Resolved to retrace his

:

steps, this child returned.

:

He was accompanied by an old woman.

:

Monsieur, said the woman, my, boy

:

tells me that you wish to hire a cabriolet.

:

These simple words, uttered by an old woman led by a child.

:

Made the perspiration trickle down his limbs.

:

He thought that he beheld the hand which had relaxed its

:

grasp. Reappear in the darkness behind him. Ready

:

to seize him once more. He answered,

:

yes, my good woman, im in search of a Cambria which I can

:

hire. And he hastened to add,

:

but there is none in the place.

:

Certainly there is, said the old woman.

:

Where, interpolated the wheelwright?

:

At my house, replied the old woman.

:

He shuddered. The fatal hand had

:

grasped him again. The old woman really

:

had in her shed a sort of basket spring cart.

:

The wheelwright and the stable man in despair at the prospect

:

of the traveler. Escaping their clutches interfered.

:

It was a frightful old trap. It rests flat on the

:

axle. It is an actual fact that the seats were

:

suspended inside it by leather thongs. The rain came

:

into it. The wheels were rusted and neat with

:

moisture. It would not go much further than the Tilbury.

:

A regular ramshackle old stage wagon. The

:

gentleman would make a great mistake if he trusted himself to it.

:

Etcetera, etcetera. All this

:

was true. But this trap,

:

this ramshackle old vehicle, this thing,

:

whatever it was, ran on its two wheels and could go to

:

Eris. He paid what was asked,

:

left the Tilbury with the wheelwright to be repaired,

:

intending to reclaim it on his return. Had the

:

white horse put to the cart, climbed into it,

:

and resumed the road which he had been traveling since

:

morning.

:

At the moment when the cart moved off, he admitted that he

:

had felt a moment previously a certain

:

joy in the thought that he should not go whither he was now

:

proceeding. He examined this joy with

:

a sort of wrath and found it absurd.

:

Why should he feel joy at turning back?

:

After all, he was taking this trip of his own free will.

:

No one was forcing him to it, and

:

assuredly nothing would happen except what he should choose.

:

As he left Hesdin, he heard a voice shouting to him,

:

stop. Stop. He halted the

:

cart with a vigorous movement which contained a

:

feverish and convulsive element resembling hope.

:

It was the old womans little boy,

:

monsieur, said the latter. It

:

was I who got the cart for you.

:

Well, youve not given me

:

anything. He who gave to all so

:

readily thought this demand exorbitant and almost

:

odious. Ah, ah, its

:

you, you scamp, said he. You

:

shall have nothing. He whipped up his horse

:

and set off at full speed. He had lost a great deal of

:

time at Hesden. He wanted to make it

:

good. The little horse was courageous and pulled for

:

two. But it was the month of February.

:

There had been rain, the roads were bad,

:

and then it was no longer the Tilbury.

:

The cart was very heavy, and in

:

addition, there were many ascents. He took

:

nearly 4 hours to go from Hesden to St. Paul,

:

4 hours for five leagues. At St.

:

Pole he had the horse unharnessed. At the first inn he came to and

:

led to the stable as he had promised

:

chauffeilur. He stood beside the manager while the horse was

:

eating. He thought of sad and

:

confusing things. The innkeeper's wife came to

:

the stable. Does Monsieur wish to

:

breakfast? Come.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: That is true.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: I even have a good appetite. He followed the

:

woman who had a rosy, cheerful face. She

:

led him to the public room. Where there were tables covered with waxed

:

cloth. Make haste, said he.

:

I, must start again. I am in a hurry. A

:

big flemish servant maid placed his knife and fork. In all

:

haste. He looked at the girl with a sensation of

:

comfort. That is what ailed me, he

:

thought. I had not breakfast. His

:

breakfast was served. He seized the bread,

:

took a mouthful. And then slowly replaced it on the table. And

:

did not touch it again. Carter was eating

:

at another table. He said to this man,

:

why is their bread so bitter here? The

:

carter was a German and did not understand him.

:

He returned to the stable and remained near the

:

horse. An hour later he had quitted St. Paul. And

:

was directing his course towards Tincis. Which is only

:

five leagues from Arras.

:

What did he do during this journey? Of what was he

:

thinking? As in the morning he watched the

:

trees, the thatched roofs. The tilled

:

fields pass by. And the way in which the

:

landscape, broken at every turn of the road,

:

vanished. This is a sort of

:

contemplation which sometimes suffices to the

:

soul. And almost relieves it from thought.

:

What is more melancholy and more profound. Than to see a

:

thousand objects for the first and the last

:

time? To travel is to be born and

:

to die. At every instant. Perhaps

:

in the vaguest region of his mind. He

:

did make comparisons between the shifting horizon.

:

And our human existence. All the things

:

of life are perpetually fleeing before us.

:

The dark and bright intervals are intermingled.

:

After a dazzling moment, an eclipse.

:

We look, we hasten,

:

we stretch out our hands to grasp what is passing.

:

Each event is a turn in the road.

:

And all at once we are old.

:

We feel a shock. All is black.

:

We distinguish an obscure door. The gloomy horse

:

of life. Which has been drawing us halts. And we see a veiled

:

and unknown person. Unharnessing amid the shadows.

:

Twilight was falling. When the children who were coming out of school.

:

Beheld this traveler. Enter Tinkas.

:

It is true that the days were still

:

short. He did not halt at Tincus. As, he

:

emerged from the village. A laborer who was mending the road with

:

stones. Raised his head and said to him,

:

that horse is very much fatigued.

:

The poor beast was, in fact, going at a

:

walk. Are you going to Eris?

:

Added the road mender? Yes.

:

If you go on at that rate, you will not arrive very

:

early. He stopped his horse and asked

:

the laborer, how far is it from here to

:

Eris? Nearly seven good

:

leagues.

:

>> Brie Carlisle: How is that the posting guide?

:

>> Brie Carlisle: Only says five leagues in a quarter. Ah, returned

:

the road mender. So you dont know that the

:

road is under repair. You will find it barred a

:

quarter of an hour further on. Theres no way to proceed

:

further. Really? You, will take

:

the road on the left, leading to carency. You will

:

cross the river. When you reach Camblin, you will turn to

:

the right. That is the road to Mont St. Eloi, which

:

leads to Arras. But it is night, and I

:

shall lose my way. You do not belong in these

:

parts. No, And besides, it is all

:

crossroads. Stop, sir, resumed the

:

road mender. Shall I give you a piece of

:

advice? Your horse is

:

tired. Return to Tincis. Theres a good inn

:

there. Sleep there. You can reach aerys

:

tomorrow. I must be there this evening.

:

That is different. But go to the inn all the same and get an

:

extra horse. The stable boy will guide you through the

:

crossroads. He followed the roadmenders

:

advice, retraced his steps, and

:

half an hour later he passed the same spot again,

:

but this time at full speed, with a good horse to

:

aid. A stable boy who called himself a postillion

:

was seated on the shaft of the cariole.

:

Still, he felt that he had lost time.

:

Night had fully come. They turned

:

into the crossroad. The way became frightfully

:

bad. The cart lurched from one rut to

:

the other. He said to the postillion,

:

keep it a trot and you shall have a double fee.

:

In one of the jolts, the whiffle tree broke.

:

Theres the whiffle tree broken, sir, said the

:

postilion. I dont know how to harness my horse. Now,

:

this road is very bad at night. If you wished to return and

:

sleep at Tincus, we could be in heiress early tomorrow morning,

:

he replied. Have you a bit of rope and a

:

knife? Yes, sir. He cut

:

a branch from a tree and made a whiffle tree of it.

:

This caused another loss of 20 minutes, but they set out again

:

at a gallop.

:

The plane was gloomy. Low hanging,

:

black crisp fogs crept over the hills and wrenched

:

themselves away like smoke. There were whitish

:

gleams in the clouds. A strong

:

breeze, which blew in from the sea, produced a sound in all

:

quarters of the horizon, as of someone moving

:

furniture. Everything that could be

:

seen assumed attitudes of terror.

:

How many things shivered beneath these vast breaths of the

:

night? He was stiff with cold.

:

He had eaten nothing since the night before. He

:

vaguely recalled his other nocturnal trip in the vast plain in the

:

neighborhood of d eight years previously.

:

And it seemed but yesterday, the hour struck from a distant

:

tower, he asked the boy, what time is

:

it? 07:00, sir. We shall

:

reach arras at eight, but we have three leagues still to go.

:

At that moment he for

:

the first time indulged in this reflection,

:

thinking it odd the while that it had not occurred to him

:

sooner that all this trouble which he was

:

taking was perhaps useless,

:

that he did not know so much as the hour of the trial,

:

that he should at least have informed

:

himself of that, that he was foolish to go thus straight

:

ahead without knowing whether he would be of any service or not.

:

Then he sketched out some calculations in his mind

:

that ordinarily the sittings of the court of

:

assizes began at 09:00 in the morning, that

:

it could not be a long affair, that the theft of the

:

apples would be very brief, that there would then

:

remain only a question of identity. Four, or five

:

depositions, and very little for the lawyers to

:

say that he should arrive after all was over.

:

The postilion whipped up the horses. They had

:

crossed the river and left mont st. Ello. Behind them.

:

The night grew more profound.

:

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@biteautotimebooks.com comma 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.

:

>> Speaker A: Take a look and let's

:

see what we can find.

:

Take it chapter by chapter.

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