VICTOR HUGO'S Les Miserables

Radio Record, Volume IX, Issue 14, 11 October 1935, Page 56

VICTOR HUGO'S Les Miserables

From the screen play by

W. P.

Lipscomb

sterring

FREDRIC MARCH CHARLES LAUGHTON

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORD. Javert,.inspector of police in a small town in Alsace, suspects, M. Madeleine, magistrate and mayor of the’ town, and Jean Valjean, eugalley’ slave, of being one and. the same man. He reports the findings of his exhaustive research work to the authorities, -but is laughed doun ‘as crazy. Convinced that he . is-right, however, Javert dogs M.. Madeleine’s every step certain that sometime, in.some way, he will make a mis-step-and then he'll get his mat. CHAPTER 4. Fight and Flight. Jean has to-make up his mind whether he will save Champmathieu or not As he stares, he instinctively feels the iron ecollar round his neck-it galls him. He feels the chain is on his foot. The cunning, crafty look comes back into his face. Why should he vive it allup? Ina moment of hysterica] rage he cries out: "Toussaint! Cancel the carriage; I’m not going." As he comes to this decision his eyes light upon the bishop’s candlesticks, The sight .of them brings him up short. He stares at them fascinated. The cunning look fades "No. I go to Arras at once."

The court is filled to capacity, but Jean, is ushered to a place behind the magis- , trate’s chair. The old convict, Champ-.’ mathieu, is standing between two gen-, darmes, The only similarity between him and Jean is in the build, and with his rough beard and hair he has the same expression Jean bore while in the galleys. There is no resemblance in features. The unfortunate, half-stupid, defendant is saddled with all the evidence piled up against Jean Valjean. Brevet, Chenildieu, Cochepaille, Jean's companions of the galley, all too rapidly identify him. "You all know me? You recognise me? Good-I say-good-splendid-ha, ha! All right. send me back to prison-You might as well-for all the chance they ever give you. If that's justice, send me back, I say! Send me back!" The helpless agony of the man is too much for Jean. He comes to a conclusion and as Champmathieu concludes his hysterical outburst he leaps to his feet. "Brevet! | Chenildieu! Cochepaill Look this way!" All eyes in the court turn to Jean, standing among the privileged spectators. Jean walks across the court to the withesses. turns and speaks to the court as a whole, "TI Am Jean Valjean." ‘Sir-I apologise-I beg your attention (Continued on inside back cover.)

Les Miserables

7?"tnistaken-this is not the man "Jean Valjean !" _ you Y Z } (Continued from page 56.) La great injustice-the witnesses are IT am ‘The announcement makes a sensation. The counsel looks up at the judges. "But it’s M. Madeleine, isn’t it?" "Everybody knows him-he must bs il." "You think Pm mad, gentlemen? My mind is clear, very clear. Look, I’ll show "Breyet! You had number 13. place. You paid the warder ten francs to change it to number 12." Brevet looks at him in amazement. "Chenildieu, your left shoulder is buraed. You tried to efface the marks of the branding iron." Instinctively Chenildieu’s hand goes to his left shoulder and he stares hard at Jean. "Cochepaille, your right arm, a date in blue letters put on with burnt powder. T,ift up your sleeve!" Cochepaille does so and ‘shows. the mark. "But, M. Madeleine," interrupts the ulge. "There is no M. Madeleine. ‘There is only Jean Valjean. The law has a cas? against me. I shall be ready. You know where I am to be found." But Jean never expects them to find him. His one thought is to lose himself to the authorities again as quickly as pos- / sible. He goes to the hospital to leave money with Fantine to take care of herself and Cosette. Javert arriyes on his | heels. He is no longer the humble, deferential person. This man, M. Madeleine, humiliated him before. Fantine falls back in a fit of coughing in her excitement. "Jean Valjean, I arrest you by order of the court. We want the saintly M. Madeleine, the forgiving Christian. Yes, you ‘could afford to be lenient, couldn’t you?: You could afford-to let me crawl to you and to forgive me. How beautifully you did it! Didn’t you laugh to yourself afterward-laugh heartily at that fool. Javert, cringing to you-because all the time you knew I was right-‘M. Madeleine ’-‘Jean Valjean’-convict !" The shock is too much for the fasttiring Fantine.’ With a faint ery, "Cos- ' ette! Cosette!’ she falls back on her pil4 , Ye low-dead. Jean moves slowly to Javert, his anger mounting, "You did it! Your very presence killed her. So? Cosette shall go to an institution, eh? It’s the law, is it? But there’s an old law-older than ours--" Then the whole of his restraint gives way and with something of the strength and fury of the man of the galleys he seizes Javert by the throat and hurls him across the room with terrific force against the wall: Javert drops to the floor, insensible. Jean and Cosette are standing at the doorway of the Convent Petit St. Jean, outside of Paris. ‘The ‘mother superior is rcading a note Jean himself has penned: . "This will introduce my good friend, M. Duval, and his daughter Cosette--" It is signed M. Madeleine.

"NM. Madeleine has always been most generous to us," says the nun. "His last. bequest came as a godsend. He asks us to look after: your little girl and give you a position as gardener here." "Ts ‘that possible?" queries Jean | anxiously. ."Well do anything for M. Madeleine; and in helping you we shall feel that in some way we are repaying him for his goodness to us." Five Cloistered Years. For five peaceful years the cloister walls of the convent served as a kindly shield and haven from the law. Jean’s surprise for Cosette upon graduation is a dignified but modest house near the Bois. in Paris. She is seen quite con--stantly in the company ‘of young Marius, leader of the Student’s Society for Law Reform, which is literally snowing under the French capital with literature dcerying the present penal laws and unjust, inhuman punishment-a cause that strikes home with Jean. Cosette ard Marius are rapidly falling in love. Javert again appears on the scene. This time he is shadowing several of the young revolutionists, Marius among them, in an attempt to get to a possible "higherup" who is supplying funds to the vre- form society. His trail leads ‘him unknowingly to Jean’s house. But Jean had caught a glimpse of him through the garden fence, and, realising Javert has recognised him, and sensing trouble, slips out the back way with Casette as Javert hammers frantically at the front door. It is Javert who comes .to the door when Marius arrives to speak to Jean ‘of his love for Cosette. "Nobody’s here!" is Javert’s curt greeting. "But didn’t they leave any word for me?" "They left no message-for anybody." "Have you an address?" "Not yet" (grimly). "But I must find them-my name is " "I know your name and I know your address, and if you ‘know what’s good for you you'll get along." Marius, after.a look, turns and goes. — Javert puts a gendarme on his trail. CHAPTER 5. Dead-End Street. The rebel students realise they are getting nowhere with their heated talks and pamphlets, and decide upon immediate action. Rioting breaks out all over Paris. Under cover of the commotion, Jean dlecides to make a break for it from his new hiding-place in the Rue Drond. He is just completing arrangements for a relay of coaches to carry Cosette and himself to the sea-coast town of Calis when the old concierge comes in, exhausted. "Terrible night!’ he pants. "Police everywhere-street fights and whatnot "But the letter to "Marius, did he get it?’ asks Cosette anxiously. , "The office was smashed up-the police had raided it. He escaped. I gave the letter to a strange girl, who said she would give it to him-said she was his secretary, Hponine-that you’d know her." Casette’s expression is that she feels Eponine will never give Marius the letter. ' "Are you ready to go?" Jean interrupts Cosette. "Yes, but-we can’t go with all this fighting in the streets."

"Yes, yes; that’s good; don’t you see? It’s an ideal time. ‘The police will have their hands full and guards will be withdrawn from the barriers " ‘"How-how far are we going?’ "England." "Wngland? (alarmed). "Yes, I was a fool to stay here. I might have known I'll be found out eventually. We shall be safe there." — In his joy he embraces her. "Yes, but-I-I can’t go. I can’t leave him. Ue doesn’t know whereI am. He ii think " "But who?’ "Marius. I shall never find him." "Marius?" Jean is completely puzzled. He has no idea what he means to her. "But what is this man to you?" "T Jove. him, that’s all." Still Jean simply can’t believe it. He half-smiles, almost as though he were treating a child. . "But--you can't ‘have secn him twice in your life!" "Yes, I met him often-I didn’t teil you, but we were going to.tell you. He was coming to see you the night we had to leave." House of Cards..Jean looks at her a long time in bewilderment. ‘The. whole of his house of eards tumbles down and he breaks into. a hysterical little laugh at the way Fate has played with him. "But me-me! Have you’ nothing for me?" . ; "But you’re my father-I mean I ‘always think of you as my father. I know you're really not, but don’t you see, with Marius it’s different. It isn’t just that lovely sense of companionship that I have with you-it’s-it’s like every girls feels for the man who is going to be her husband." His whole expression begins to change. He wants to take Cosette away; he is searching for a line to take, searching cunningly, calculating as to how to play on her emotions. "Yes" (deliberately), "i t's natura] you should want to leave me.’ The words have the desired effect. "JT didn’t-until this happened. I never thought of leaving you. No one could have been happier than I. I'll go to Eng-land-I'll forget him somehow, I willI swear I will Jcan clutches at this last straw. He tries to persuade himself and her that it is best to go. His one idea is to get her away-rush the journey before she can have time to think. "Of course, if I could do anything for him, I .would-you' know I would, ‘put I ean *t, We don’t even know where he is, and if we stay here they’ll arrest me, and heaven knows what will happen to you. No, it’s best for us to go, isn’t it? We can make all inquiries about him from England-that’s best-isn’t it?" Cosette nods half-hcartedly. The door to the street is pushed back violently and Eponine staggers in, panting and exhausted. . "T’ve run half-way across Paris with _all the gendarmes and police in France on my trail-and if I’m not mistaken there’s still a couple on the corner wait-ing-phew !" "Who are you?’ asked Jean, "T’ve come to see a girl called Cosette, I’ve a-note for her-from Marius." "Marius?" ~ . "Yes, the only man who ever meant anything to me, and I-have to carry messages of undying affection to another woman-Funny, isn’t it?" "Where is he now?" To be Continued.