Chapter 27

In came a fiddler with a music book, and went up to the lofty desk, and made an orchestra of it. In came Mrs. Fezziwig, one vast substantial smile. In came the three Miss Fezziwigs, beaming and lovable. In came the six 10 young followers whose hearts they broke. In came all the young men and young women employed in the business. In came the housemaid with her cousin the baker. In came the cook with her brother's particular friend the milkman In came the boy from over the way, who was 15 suspected of not having enough to eat from his master. In they all came, one after another--some shyly, some boldly, some gracefully, some awkwardly, some pushing, some pulling. In they all came, anyhow and everyhow.

Away they all went, twenty couples at once; down the 20 middle and up again; round and round in various stages of affectionate grouping; old top couple always turning up in the wrong place; new top couple starting off again as soon as they got there; all top couples at last, and not a bottom one to help them! 25

When this result was brought about, old Fezziwig, clapping his hands to stop the dance, cried out, "Well done!" Then there were more dances, and there were forfeits, and more dances; and there was cake, and there was a great piece of cold roast, and there was a great piece 30 of cold boiled, and there were mince pies and other delicacies. But the great effect of the evening came after the roast and the boiled, when the fiddler, artful dog, struck up _Sir Roger de Coverley_. Then old Mr. Fezziwig stood out to dance with Mrs. Fezziwig. Top couple, too, with a good stiff piece of work cut out for them; three or four and twenty pair of partners; people who were not to 5 be trifled with--people who would dance and had no notion of walking.

But if they had been twice as many--aye, four times--old Mr. Fezziwig would have been a match for them and so would Mrs. Fezziwig. As to _her_, she was worthy to 10 be his partner in every sense of the term. If that's not high praise, tell me higher and I'll use it. . . . And when Mr. Fezziwig and Mrs. Fezziwig had gone all through the dance--advance and retire, both hands to your partner, bow and curtsy, thread the needle, and back to your place--Fezziwig 15 "cut" so deftly that he appeared to wink with his legs, and came upon his feet again without a stagger.

When the clock struck eleven this domestic ball broke up. Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig took their stations one on either side of the door, and shaking hands with every person 20 individually as he or she went out, wished him or her a Merry Christmas. When everybody had retired but the two apprentices they did the same to them; and thus the cheerful voices died away and the lads were left to their beds--which were under a counter in the back shop. 25

--_A Christmas Carol._

1. _A Christmas Carol_ is a story everybody should read and re-read. Why do you think it is so popular? What is there about this selection that is likable? How does it reflect the joy of the Christmas season?

2. List the books you know that Dickens wrote. Which have you read? Find some interesting facts about Dickens's life and report these to the class.

JEAN VALJEAN MEETS THE BISHOP

BY VICTOR HUGO

Victor Hugo (1802-1885), poet, dramatist, and novelist, dominated the literature of France during the nineteenth century. His novel, _Les Misérables_, written in 1862, during Hugo's long political exile, exemplifies his extensive knowledge of the deplorable conditions of life in France at that time, his understanding of the human heart, and his marvelous literary ability.

In the following extract from _Les Misérables_, the most famous character of the book, Jean Valjean, an ex-convict, takes his first step toward final regeneration by meeting Bishop D. The Bishop, known also as Monseigneur Welcome, voluntarily lived a simple and austere life with his sister and old housekeeper, but had humored his one weakness by retaining his table silver and handsome silver candlesticks.

Valjean is speaking to the Bishop at the beginning of the extract.

"You! Listen! I am Jean Valjean, the galley slave. I was nineteen years in prison. Four days ago they let me out and I started for Pontarlier. I have been tramping for four days since I left Toulon, and to-day I walked twelve leagues. When I came into the town this 5 evening I went to the inn, but because of my yellow passport that I had shown at the police office, they drove me out. Then I went to the other inn and the landlord said to me, 'Off with you!' Everywhere it was the same; no one would have anything to do with me. Even the 10 jailer of the prison would not take me in. So I was lying on a stone in the square, when a good woman came along and she said to me, pointing to this place, 'Knock there. They will take you in.' What is this? Is it an inn? I have money--all that I earned in the prison for nineteen years--109 francs and 15 sous. I will pay. I am terribly tired and almost famished. Will you let me stay here?"

"Madame Magloire," said the Bishop to his aged housekeeper, "you will please lay another place for supper." 5

Jean Valjean shuffled to the table where the lamp stood. He took a large yellow paper from his pocket and unfolded it. "Wait," he said, "You don't seem to understand. I am a galley slave, a convict, just from prison. This is my yellow passport which makes everyone drive me away. 10 You must read it. I can read it myself; I learned to read in the prison, where they have a class for those that want to learn. This is what it says on my yellow paper: 'Jean Valjean, a liberated convict, has been nineteen years at the galleys. Five years for burglary, fourteen years 15 for having tried four times to escape. A very dangerous man.' Now, will you turn me away like all the others, or will you give me food and a bed? Perhaps you have a stable?"

"Madame Magloire," said the Bishop, "kindly put clean 20 sheets on our extra bed in the alcove."

Madame Magloire left the room at once to carry out these instructions. The Bishop turned to the ex-convict, saying, "Draw a chair to the fire, sir, we shall eat presently. Your bed will be prepared while we are at supper." 25

* * * * *

After bidding good-night to his sister and Madame Magloire, the Bishop took one of the silver candlesticks and handing the other to his guest, Jean Valjean, he said, "I will conduct you to your room, sir. I trust you will have a good night's rest. To-morrow morning, before you leave, 30 you will drink a glass of milk from our cow."

As the cathedral bell struck two, Jean Valjean awoke. The strange sensation of sleeping in a comfortable bed once more, after nineteen years of life in the galleys, disturbed his sleep. His first weariness had worn off after a few hours of deep sleep. After looking into the darkness 5 about him, he tried to sleep again. When many agitating sensations have filled a man's day, and still preoccupy his mind, he may fall asleep once, but he cannot go to sleep a second time. So sleep had come to Jean Valjean, but would not return to him, and he lay awake thinking. 10

His mind was filled with troubled ideas, which seemed to float in a kind of obscurity. His old recollections and recent experiences became confused, lost their identity, grew out of proportion, dwindled, then disappeared entirely, all in a distressing vagueness. But one thought persistently 15 returned, to the exclusion of all the others. It was this: the six silver forks and spoons and the handsome silver ladle were in the next room, only a few yards from him. He had seen Madame Magloire put them into a small cupboard in the adjoining room, on the right as you came from 20 the dining room. It was fine, old silver--the ladle alone must be worth at least 200 francs, which was twice as much as he had earned during his nineteen years in the galleys.

For one hour his mind was occupied with this absorbing 25 theme--weighing, wavering, even struggling. Suddenly at the stroke of three, he sat upright, reached out for his knapsack, which he had thrown into a corner, and found himself, to his surprise, seated on the edge of the bed. He sat thus for a while, deep in thought; then stooped, took 30 off his shoes; then once more resumed his thoughts, sitting motionless. During this period, he again had the sensation of all his old and new experiences crossing and recrossing each other in his mind and weighing upon him. He was thinking of an old companion of the galleys, recalling his queer mannerisms, when the clock struck the quarter or half hour, seeming to call to him "To work!" 5

He stood up and listened. The house was absolutely silent. He tiptoed to the window and looked out. The wind was driving heavy clouds across a full moon, producing alternate light and darkness, within and without. Jean Valjean examined the window; it was closed by a small peg, 10 had no bars, and looked upon the little garden. He opened it, but closed it again promptly upon the sharp cold wind that entered. A study of the garden showed it to be inclosed by a low whitewashed wall, and a view of treetops at regular intervals beyond indicated a public walk. 15

This study being completed, Jean Valjean returned to the alcove, drew from his knapsack an iron bar which he placed on the bed, put his shoes in a compartment of his knapsack, which he then lifted to his shoulders, drew his cap down over his eyes, took his stick from the corner, and 20 finally returning to the bed, took up the article which he had laid there.

* * * * *

At sunrise the following morning, the Bishop was walking as usual in his little garden, when Madame Magloire came hurrying toward him in the greatest excitement. 25

"Monseigneur," she exclaimed, "all our table silver is stolen and the man is gone."

Just then, glancing at the corner of the garden, she saw that the coping of the wall had been broken away.

"Look at the wall! He must have climbed over into the 30 lane! And all our silver stolen! What a crime!"

After a moment's silence, the Bishop said earnestly to Madame Magloire,

"As a matter of fact, was the silver really ours?"

The old housekeeper stood speechless. The Bishop continued, 5

"It was wrong of me to keep that silver; it belonged rightfully to the poor. And that man was a poor man, surely."

"Oh, Monseigneur!" murmured Madame Magloire, "neither Mademoiselle your sister, nor I, care about the 10 silver. It was only for you. What will Monseigneur eat with now?"

"Are not pewter forks and spoons to be had?" said the Bishop.

"Pewter smells," said Madame Magloire. 15

"Then iron?" continued the Bishop.

"Iron has a bad taste," and Madame Magloire grimaced expressively.

"That still leaves wood," exclaimed the Bishop triumphantly. Later, at breakfast, the Bishop jokingly commented 20 to his silent sister and grumbling housekeeper, that for a breakfast of bread and milk even a wooden fork was unnecessary.

"Just think of it," muttered Madame Magloire as she trotted back and forth between the dining room and kitchen, 25 "to take in a convict like that, and let him eat and sleep with decent people. It's lucky that he didn't do worse than steal. It terrifies one just to think of what might have happened."

At the moment that the Bishop and his sister were 30 leaving the table, there was a knock at the door.

"Enter," said the Bishop.

The door opened, and there appeared three gendarmes holding a man by the collar. The man was Jean Valjean. The leader of the party, a corporal, saluted the Bishop.

"Monseigneur," he began.

Jean Valjean looked up, dazed. 5

"Monseigneur!" he muttered, "then this is not an inn. He is not just a priest!"

"Silence," commanded the corporal. "This is Monseigneur the Bishop."

The aged Bishop was making his way to Jean Valjean as 10 rapidly as he could.

"Ah, here you are again," he said, "I am glad to see you. You know I gave you the candlesticks, too. Why did you not take them? They are worth at least 200 francs. You should have taken them along with the plate 15 silver."

Words cannot describe the expression in the eyes of Jean Valjean as he gazed at the Bishop.

"Then, Monseigneur, what this man says is true?" asked the corporal. "He looked as if he was escaping from somewhere, 20 so we arrested him. And then we found this silver plate upon him."

"And then," interrupted the Bishop, "he explained, of course, that an old priest at whose house he stayed last night gave him the plate? I see. And you brought him 25 back. You were wrong."

"Then we are to let him go?" asked the corporal.

"Certainly," replied the Bishop.

Jean Valjean was released. He staggered back.

"Is it true that I am free?" he murmured weakly. 30

"Yes, of course. And my friend," the Bishop continued, "take the candlesticks with you this time."

Going to the mantelpiece, he took down the two candlesticks and brought them to Jean Valjean. The two women watched, speechless, but made no sign of dissent. Jean Valjean was trembling; he took the candlesticks mechanically, as if in a dream. 5

"Depart in peace," said the Bishop, "and, by the way, when you come again, enter by the front door; it is only latched."

Turning to the gendarmes, he said, "Gentlemen, it is unnecessary for you to remain." 10

The gendarmes retired.

Jean Valjean seemed unable to recover his senses; he felt himself about to faint, when the Bishop approached and said to him, in a very low voice,

"Remember always, my friend, that I have your promise 15 to use this money to become an honest man."

Jean Valjean, unconscious of having made a promise of any kind, remained silent.

With great solemnity, the Bishop continued, in a low but firm voice: 20

"Jean Valjean, henceforth you belong only to good. Your soul I have bought and herewith I banish from it all black thoughts and the spirit of Evil, and give it to Good."

--_Les Misérables._

1. Who are the two characters that come into contact here? Tell what each is like. What, in a way, does each represent?

2. Did Valjean have any intention of robbing anyone when he asked for lodging? Was Valjean accountable for the theft? Discuss fully.

3. Where is the point of highest dramatic interest? If you were painting a scene from the selection, which would you select?

4. Explain why the Bishop did what he did in the final scene.

A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT

BY JONATHAN SWIFT

The adventures of Captain Lemuel Gulliver, as told by Swift in _Gulliver's Travels_, have been read with delight for two hundred years. Gulliver first lands in Lilliput and has thrilling adventures among the little people. Then he visits Brobdingnag, the land of giants. His third voyage takes him to Laputa, where he sees the philosophers; and on the fourth he visits the land of the Houyhnhnms. The last two voyages are not so entertaining as the first two, which are classics.

We set sail from Bristol May 4th, 1699, and our voyage at first was very prosperous. It would not be proper, for some reasons, to trouble the reader with the particulars of our adventures in those seas; let it suffice to inform him that in our passage from thence to the East 5 Indies we were driven by a violent storm to the northwest of Van Diemen's Land. By an observation we found ourselves in the latitude of thirty degrees, two minutes, south. Twelve of our crew were dead by immoderate labor and ill food, and the rest were in a very weak condition. 10

On the fifth of November, which was the beginning of summer in those parts, the weather being very hazy, the seamen spied a rock within half a cable's length of the ship; but the wind was so strong that we were driven directly upon it and immediately split. Six of the crew, of whom 15 I was one, having let down the boat into the sea, made a shift to get clear of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by my computation, about three leagues, till we were able to work no longer, being already spent with labor while we were in the ship. We therefore trusted ourselves to the mercy of the waves, and in about half an hour the boat was overset by a sudden flurry from the north. What became of my companions in the boat, as well as those who escaped on the rock or were left in the vessel, I cannot 5 tell; but conclude they were all lost.

For my own part I swam as fortune directed me, and was pushed forward by wind and tide. I often let my legs drop, and could feel no bottom; but when I was almost gone, and able to struggle no longer, I found myself within 10 my depth, and by this time the storm was much abated. The declivity was so small that I walked near a mile before I got to the shore, which I reached, as I conjectured, at about eight o'clock in the evening. I then advanced forward near half a mile, but could not discover any sign of houses or 15 inhabitants; at least I was in so weak a condition that I did not observe them. I was extremely tired, and with that, and the heat of the weather, and about half a pint of brandy that I drank as I left the ship, I found myself much inclined to sleep. I lay down on the grass, which was 20 very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I remember to have done in my life, and, as I reckoned, above nine hours; for when I awaked it was just daylight. I attempted to rise, but was not able to stir; for as I happened to lie on my back, I found my arms and legs were strongly 25 fastened on each side to the ground; and my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner. I likewise felt several slender ligatures across my body, from my armpits to my thighs. I could only look upwards, the sun began to grow hot, and the light offended my eyes. 30 I heard a confused noise about me, but in the posture in which I lay, I could see nothing except the sky.

In a little time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, which advancing gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin, when bending mine eyes downward as much as I could I perceived it to be a human creature not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his 5 hands, and a quiver at his back. In the meantime I felt at least forty more of the same kind (as I conjectured) following the first. I was in the utmost astonishment, and roared so loud that they all ran back in a fright; and some of them, as I was afterwards told, were hurt with the falls 10 they got by leaping from my sides upon the ground. However they soon returned, and one of them, who ventured so far as to get a full sight of my face, lifting up his hands and eyes by way of admiration, cried out in a shrill but distinct voice, "_Hekinah degul_"; and others repeated the 15 same words several times, but I then knew not what they meant. I lay all this while, as the reader may believe, in great uneasiness.

At length, struggling to get loose, I had the fortune to break the strings and wrench out the pegs that fastened 20 my left arm to the ground; for, by lifting it up to my face, I discovered the methods they had taken to bind me; and, at the same time, with a violent pull which gave me excessive pain, I a little loosened the strings that tied down my hair on the left side, so that I was just able to turn my 25 head about two inches; but the creatures ran off a second time, before I could seize them, whereupon there was a great shout in a very shrill accent, and after it ceased I heard one of them cry aloud, "_Tolgo phonac_," when in an instant I felt above a hundred arrows discharged on my 30 left hand, which pricked me like so many needles; and, besides, they shot another flight into the air, as we do bombs in Europe, whereof many, I suppose, fell on my body (though I felt them not) and some on my face, which I immediately covered with my left hand. When this shower was over, I fell a groaning with grief and pain; and then striving again to get loose, they discharged another volley 5 larger than the first, and some of them attempted with spears to stick me in the sides; but, by good luck, I had on me a buff jerkin, which they could not pierce.