Les Miserables

Radio Record, Volume IX, Issue 13, 4 October 1935, Page 56

Les Miserables

VICTOR

HUGO'S

From the screen play by W. P. Li pscomb starring FREDRIC MARCH CHARLES LAUGHTON vee ee wf

ae WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE: Paroled from the galleys after a five-year sentence for stealing a loaf of bread, Jean Valjean, with revenge in his heart, stumbles into the home of kindly old Bishop Bienvenu and finds in him at least , one man with faith im ‘the world. and i willing ‘to trust. an ea-galley. slave, Valjean, however, has cast covetous glances on the bdishop’s silver... — _ : He gets out of bed quietly, goes to his knapsack-takes out an iron bar. feels it, menacingly. The door to the ' bishop's ‘room is ajar. .It makes him: hesitate, [t is too easy. He enters, regards the sleeping man with haggard astonishment. not unmixed’ with fear, then moves to the cupboard to pry it open. There is no need to use force-the key is already there. Again it seems too easy, and he glances suspiciously in the bishop’s "diréction, then begins’ to pull out the silver, which is piled together in a’ basket. : . The Silver is’ Gone! The bishop is busy writing in the din-ing-room.: He looks up as he hears 4 seream : from Magloire and the sound running. feet.’ _ "The silyer is gone! I told you-that man! He went off without a word and he’s taken the silver’ Now we’ve oo silver plates." . The bishop goes back to his notes; un-

concerned. "Well, well. well, what are plates, after all? We can just as well eat off tin." "How can we? ‘Tin tastes." "Well, then, iron plates." R "Tron’s ‘as bad." u "Well, then wood-" \ "Who ever heard of a bishop eating of! wooden plates?" With a twinkle in his eye: "They d probably be all the better if they did." There is a heavy knocking at the door. Magloire is immediately apprehensive, The door is already half-open when the bishop unperturbed, again calls in his usual easy manner: "Come in!" Three gendarmes are there and between them is Jean, utterly dejected. "This-man, Jean Vatjean-we saw him running away. We stopped him and found he had this silver with your crest on it." "Now, what is all this? I’m very glad to see you again, Jean " The gendarmes look astonished. Jean glares at the bishop. Ig this some néy trick? "Yes, because I gave you the two sily candlesticks, as well, and they’re wor:b perhaps two hundred frances, How did you come to leave them behind?" Jean: is too astonished to reply. The bishop turns to the police: *"Didn’t he tell you that the good priest with whom he passed the night gave him . this silver?" "He said so; but naturally we though’ 2 — "That was very clever of you. You Je your work well, But it’s quite a mis (Continued on inside back cover.) .

-. Les Miserables

(Continued from page 56.) take" ; he turns to Jean, "the silver was Then we can let him go?" ‘Why, certainly! And give him his psack." hen they are left alone together, Jean is almost overwhelmed... He begins to break down. "Ts it true?" he etammers. "T don’t ‘go back to the galleys? You'll let me go free?" When is a Man Free? "When is a man free? I wish someone could tell me. Yes, you can go. And this time,-of course, take your. candlesticks." "You give them’to me?" . "Long ago, Jean," the bishop says gently, "T learned, that life was to give-not make. Let me give. In turn, promise me ou, in turn-will give." ¥ hl Jean is unable to speak. He drops to one knee. The bishop puts his hand on his shoulder. "My door is never closed. . Don’t use any other way-furtively, in the night. The door is the right way, and the right way, Jean, is always open to you," It is this view of the bishop that Jean carries in his mind forever after. Jean lifts himself to his feet and with his shoulders hunched for his knapsack stumbles to the door, his whole body shaking.-: He trudges along "the road, shoulders bowed, his eyes vague and bewildered, trying to understand. Ags he trudges, the | bishop’s- voice comes to him"Life is to give, not to take-promise me, when your turn comes, you, too-will give." "Ym Slowly it comes to him that there is ill someone with faith and trust in the orld. He feels the world can still. hold Mmething for him-one man, .at least. has trusted him. The trudge-rhythm changes, his head and shoulders become erect. and he looks into the future with hope and determination in his eyes. Thus ended: the first phase of the life of Jean Valjean. CHAPTER 3. The Road Back. With courage born of the. bishop’s words, Jean’s progress in the next five years bordered on the miraculous. Under a new name, he has established himself in a town in Alsace,-and step by step as worked his way up in the respect and Fsteem of the small community. As M. Madeleine, he has changed completely. There is a streak of grey in his hair, but otherwise he is clean-shaven and is smiling, cheerful, good-humoured. He has been eminently successful in turning yen absolutely bankrupt manufacturing firm into a thriving business organisation. We find him in the best of spirits as he bids good-night to a group of prominent townsfolk who have come to inform him of his appointment as mayor and magistrate, Left alone with the aftermath of a , successful and happy day, Jean turns to the fireplace. On the mantelpiece are the bishop’s candlesticks, He smiles at the thought of all these symbols have done for him. "We'ye come a long way together, haven’t we?" There is a knock at the door, and the housekeeper shows in qa man in police uni-

form. As the man comes forward, Jean’s hands, still holding the candlesticks, drop slightly. It is Jayert, warden of the prison-ship. . ‘he two men .come face to face, but Javert is "precise and also deferential,. showing no sign of recognising’. Jean. "Sd "M. Madeleine?" RPE. Jean nods, "My name is Javert. I am the. new in--spector of police assigned to thig district, reporting for duty to the. new mayor; and to pay my respects." Jean remaitis thoughtful for a moment after Javert’s departure. He looks up at the candlesticks and then at the door. The © sudden appearance of Javert has troubled and disturbed him.