Part I, Book 2, Chapter 2
Wisdom Is Advised to Be Prudent
Short chapter in which we discover that Madame Magloire probably spends all her spare time (between running this damn household on a shoestring budget) on Nextdoor. That evening finds Magloire and Baptistine discussing the SCARY GOSSIP that had every innkeeper and peasant family showing their asses.
Apparently, the town is abuzz with the news that there’s a “sinister-looking individual prowling around.” Now everyone is convinced they are all going to be murdered in their beds. I’m going to personally sue all these libelous townspeople on Valjean’s behalf.
There’s a hilarious comment, ostensibly from Madame Magloire, that the police won’t do anything because the local government leaders like being able to blame incidents on each other. This is 1000% what a certain type of Boomer posts in a neighborhood Facebook group and I am weirdly delighted that 1) Victor Hugo took the time to include this in his great novel and 2) that people have not changed at. all.
The bishop, bless him, is just vibing in the corner as if he can’t hear a thing they’re saying. Mademoiselle Baptistine asks him if he’s listening at all and he says cheerfully, “We’re in some great danger, are we?”
Bishop Myriel is such a darling little troll and I love him.
Madame Magloire makes an executive decision that she’ll call the locksmith and get the bolts put back on the doors because she is not a fan of the bishop’s open door policy.
Alas, she’ll never get around to it, because immediately there is a KNOCK AT THE DOOR.
[excitement intensifies]
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