The Bishop looked calmly around.
"On reflection," said he, gravely, "I was mistaken; this is clearly
the fault of Society. Let us pray for Society."
They knelt down and prayed for Society.
The effect was sublimer yet. What do you think of that? You, I
mean.
Everybody remembers the story of the Bishop and Mother Nez
Retrousse. Old Mother Nez Retrouse sold asparagus. She was poor;
there's a great deal of meaning in that word, my friend. Some
people say "poor but honest." I say, Bah!
Bishop Myriel bought six bunches of asparagus. This good man had
one charming failing; he was fond of asparagus. He gave her a
franc and received three sous change.
The sous were bad,--counterfeit. What did this good Bishop do? He
said: "I should not have taken change from a poor woman."
Then afterwards, to his housekeeper: "Never take change from a poor
woman."
Then he added to himself: "For the sous will probably be bad."
II.
When a man commits a crime, society claps him in prison. A prison
is one of the worst hotels imaginable. The people there are low
and vulgar. The butter is bad, the coffee is green. Ah, it is
horrible!
In prison, as in a bad hotel, a man soon loses, not only his
morals, but what is much worse to a Frenchman, his sense of
refinement and delicacy.
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