Les Misérables 1991 Prologue - Valjean Arrested, Valjean Forgiven

Gary Morris as Jean Valjean, Stephen Frugoli as The Bishop of Digne, Christopher Yates and Frank Mastrone as Constables.


[BISHOP]
Come in, Sir, for you are weary
And the night is cold out there
Though our lives are very humble
What we have, we have to share

There is wine here to revive you
There is bread to make you strong
There's a bed to rest 'til morning
Rest from pain, and rest from wrong

[VALJEAN]
He let me eat my fill, I had the lion's share
This silver in my hand, costs twice what I had earned
In all those nineteen years, a lifetime of despair
And yet he trusted me

The old fool trusted me, he'd done his bit of good
I played the grateful serf and thanked him like I should
But when the house was still, I got up in the night
Took the silver, took my flight!

[Valjean runs away, but is caught by the constables and brought back to the bishop.]

[CONSTABLE #1]
Tell his reverence your story

[CONSTABLE #2]
Let us see if he's impressed

[CONSTABLE #1]
You were lodging here last night

[CONSTABLE #2]
You were the honest Bishop's guest
And then out of Christian goodness
When he learned about your plight

[CONSTABLE #1]
You maintain he made a present of this silver

[BISHOP]
That is right

But my friend, you left so early
Surely something slipped your mind
You forgot I gave these also
Would you leave the best behind?

[The bishop gives Valjean two candlesticks.]

So, M'sieurs, you may release him
For this man has spoken true
I commend you for your duty
And God's blessing go with you

[The constables leave.]

[BISHOP (to Valjean)]
But remember this, my brother
See in this some higher plan
You must use this precious silver
To become an honest man

By the witness of the martyrs
By the Passion and the Blood
God has raised you out of darkness
I have bought your soul for God!