Les Miserables is my favorite novel of all novels. When I read Les Miserables for the first time back in college, I stayed up until 3:00 AM one night to finish it, and I had an 8:00 AM class that morning. For me, staying awake until 3:00 in the morning was an unusual occurence; my head usually hit the pillow at 10:00 PM every night. Only a very good book could keep me turning pages until the wee hours. Author Victor Hugo lived a life full of illicit sexual affairs and confused politics (he kept changing sides, not difficult to do in France in the 1800’s) and still produced a book like Les Miserables: God uses flawed vessels to produce great and true art.
So, when I read that blog friend Carrie was reading this great novel and looking for comrades-in-reading, I thought about it, prayed about it, remembered that I have a lot of reading to do this month for the Cybil Awards, and then decided to take the plunge anyway. I plan to use Les Miserables for my devotional reading for this month and maybe December, too, and I also thought it might be fun to share whatever insights God gives here at Intellectuelle. I got my copy at the library this afternoon, translated by Charles Wilbur, and I started reading this evening.
Hugo begins his novel with the character of Monsieur Myriel, or Monseigneur Bienvenu as he is nicknamed by his parishoners, the bishop of D----. The bishop is a good and humble man, given to charity, but also wise in the wisdom of simplicity. He is a hero.
Said the bishop:
"To commit the least possible sin is the law for man. To live without sin is the dream of an angel. Everything terrestrial is subject to sin. Sin is a gravitation."
"Ask not the name of him who asks you for a bed. It is especially he whose name is a burdent to him, who has need of an asylum."
"I am not in the world to care for my life, but for souls."
"After all, what is there to fear in this house? There is always one with us who is the strongest; Satan may visit our house, but the good God inhabits it."
The author comments on the character, actions, and philosophy of Monseigneur the Bishop:
"As we see, he had a strange and peculiar way of judging things. I suspect that he acquired it from the Gospel."
Would that I were suspected of such a motive for my actions!
If anyone would like to join Carrie and me as we read Les Miserables, you're welcome to do so. Leave a comment, and I'll link. Or if you're a fellow Intellectuelle, post your own observations, and we'll discuss.
