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P. 58
CHAPTER IX
THE BROTHER AS
DEPICTED BY THE SISTER
In order to furnish an idea of the private establishment of
the Bishop of D——, and of the manner in which those two
sainted women subordinated their actions, their thoughts,
their feminine instincts even, which are easily alarmed, to
the habits and purposes of the Bishop, without his even
taking the trouble of speaking in order to explain them,
we cannot do better than transcribe in this place a letter
from Mademoiselle Baptistine to Madame the Vicomtess de
Boischevron, the friend of her childhood. This letter is in
our possession.
D——, Dec. 16, 18—.
MY GOOD MADAM: Not a day passes without our speak-
ing of you. It is our established custom; but there is another
reason besides. Just imagine, while washing and dusting
the ceilings and walls, Madam Magloire has made some
discoveries; now our two chambers hung with antique pa-
per whitewashed over, would not discredit a chateau in the
style of yours. Madam Magloire has pulled off all the pa-
58 Les Miserables
