Les Miserables (Complete 5 Volumes)

Les Miserables is a story of Jean Valjean, an escaped convict whose life is transformed and turned toward goodness by an act of Christian charit.

Jean Valjean was released after nineteen years in prison. He had been sentenced to a term of five years because he stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving sister and family. Jean's sentenced was increased because of his attempts to escape. During his imprisonment, he astonished others by his exhibitions of unusual physical strength.

Freed at last, he started out on foot for a distant part of the country. Innkeepers refused him food and lodging because his yellow passport revealed that he was an ex-convict. Finally, he came to the house of Bishop of Digne, a saintly man, who treated him graciously, fed him, and gave him a bed. During the night Jean stole the Bishop's silverware and fled. The incident was reported , and the policemen immediately captured him with the stolen goods. Without any censure, the priest did not only give him what he had stolen, but also added his silver candlesticks to the gift. The Bishop told the gendermes that those silverware were given to Jean as present. So, the astonished gendermes let the prisoner go. Alone with the Bishop, Jean was confounded by the churchman's attitude; though, the Bishop asked only that he should use the silver as means of living an honest life.