Page 97 - les-miserables

people felt at their ease with him, and joy seemed to radiate
from his whole person. His fresh and ruddy complexion, his
very white teeth, all of which he had preserved, and which
were displayed by his smile, gave him that open and easy air
which cause the remark to be made of a man, ‘He’s a good
fellow”; and of an old man, ‘He is a fine man.’ That, it will
be recalled, was the effect which he produced upon Napo-
leon. On the first encounter, and to one who saw him for
the first time, he was nothing, in fact, but a fine man. But
if one remained near him for a few hours, and beheld him
in the least degree pensive, the fine man became gradually
transfigured, and took on some imposing quality, I know
not what; his broad and serious brow, rendered august by
his white locks, became august also by virtue of meditation;
majesty radiated from his goodness, though his goodness
ceased not to be radiant; one experienced something of the
emotion which one would feel on beholding a smiling angel
slowly unfold his wings, without ceasing to smile. Respect,
an unutterable respect, penetrated you by degrees and
mounted to your heart, and one felt that one had before him
one of those strong, thoroughly tried, and indulgent souls
where thought is so grand that it can no longer be anything
but gentle.
As we have seen, prayer, the celebration of the offices of
religion, alms-giving, the consolation of the afflicted, the
cultivation of a bit of land, fraternity, frugality, hospitali-
ty, renunciation, confidence, study, work, filled every day of
his life. Filled is exactly the word; certainly the Bishop’s day
was quite full to the brim, of good words and good deeds.

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