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And then； religion is attacked。 Why？
Because there have been bad priests； because Sagittaire； Bishop of Gap； was the brother of Salone； Bishop of Embrun； and because both of them followed Mommol。
What has that to do with the question？
Does that prevent Martin de Tours from being a saint； and giving half of his cloak to a beggar？
They persecute the saints。
They shut their eyes to the truth。
Darkness is the rule。
The most ferocious beasts are beasts which are blind。 No one thinks of hell as a reality。
Oh！ how wicked people are！ By order of the king signifies to…day； by order of the revolution。 One no longer knows what is due to the living or to the dead。
A holy death is prohibited。
Burial is a civil matter。
This is horrible。 Saint Leo II。
wrote two special letters； one to Pierre Notaire； the other to the king of the Visigoths； for the purpose of bating and rejecting； in questions touching the dead； the authority of the exarch and the supremacy of the Emperor。
Gauthier； Bishop of Chalons； held his own in this matter against Otho； Duke of Burgundy。 The ancient magistracy agreed with him。
In former times we had voices in the chapter； even on matters of the day。
The Abbot of Citeaux； the general of the order； was councillor by right of birth to the parliament of Burgundy。
We do what we please with our dead。 Is not the body of Saint Benoit himself in France； in the abbey of Fleury； called Saint Benoit…sur…Loire； although he died in Italy at Mont…Cassin； on Saturday； the 21st of the month of March； of the year 543？
All this is incontestable。
I abhor psalm…singers； I hate priors； I execrate heretics； but I should detest yet more any one who should maintain the contrary。
One has only to read Arnoul Wion； Gabriel Bucelin； Trithemus； Maurolics； and Dom Luc d'Achery。〃
The prioress took breath； then turned to Fauchelevent。
〃Is it settled； Father Fauvent？〃
〃It is settled； reverend Mother。〃
〃We may depend on you？〃
〃I will obey。〃
〃That is well。〃
〃I am entirely devoted to the convent。〃
〃That is understood。
You will close the coffin。
The sisters will carry it to the chapel。
The office for the dead will then be said。 Then we shall return to the cloister。
Between eleven o'clock and midnight； you will e with your iron bar。
All will be done in the most profound secrecy。
There will be in the chapel only the four Mother Precentors； Mother Ascension and yourself。〃
〃And the sister at the post？〃
〃She will not turn round。〃
〃But she will hear。〃
〃She will not listen。
Besides； what the cloister knows the world learns not。〃
A pause ensued。
The prioress went on：
〃You will remove your bell。
It is not necessary that the sister at the post should perceive your presence。〃
〃Reverend Mother？〃
〃What； Father Fauvent？〃
〃Has the doctor for the dead paid his visit？〃
〃He will pay it at four o'clock to…day。 The peal which orders the doctor for the dead to be summoned has already been rung。 But you do not understand any of the peals？〃
〃I pay no attention to any but my own。〃
〃That is well； Father Fauvent。〃
〃Reverend Mother； a lever at least six feet long will be required。〃
〃Where will you obtain it？〃
〃Where gratings are not lacking； iron bars are not lacking。 I have my heap of old iron at the bottom of the garden。〃
〃About three…quarters of an hour before midnight； do not forget。〃
〃Reverend Mother？〃
〃What？〃
〃If you were ever to have any other jobs of this sort； my brother is the strong man for you。
A perfect Turk！〃
〃You will do it as speedily as possible。〃
〃I cannot work very fast。
I am infirm； that is why I require an assistant。
I limp。〃
〃To limp is no sin； and perhaps it is a blessing。
The Emperor Henry II。； who bated Antipope Gregory and re…established Benoit VIII。； has two surnames； the Saint and the Lame。〃
〃Two surtouts are a good thing；〃 murmured Fauchelevent； who really was a little hard of hearing。
〃Now that I think of it； Father Fauvent； let us give a whole hour to it。
That is not too much。
Be near the principal altar； with your iron bar； at eleven o'clock。 The office begins at midnight。 Everything must have been pleted a good quarter of an hour before that。〃
〃I will do anything to prove my zeal towards the munity。 These are my orders。
I am to nail up the coffin。
At eleven o'clock exactly； I am to be in the chapel。
The Mother Precentors will be there。
Mother Ascension will be there。
Two men would be better。
However； never mind！
I shall have my lever。 We will open the vault； we will lower the coffin； and we will close the vault again。
After which； there will be no trace of anything。 The government will have no suspicion。
Thus all has been arranged； reverend Mother？〃
〃No！〃
〃What else remains？〃
〃The empty coffin remains。〃
This produced a pause。
Fauchelevent meditated。
The prioress meditated。
〃What is to be done with that coffin； Father Fauvent？〃
〃It will be given to the earth。〃
〃Empty？〃
Another silence。
Fauchelevent made； with his left hand； that sort of a gesture which dismisses a troublesome subject。
〃Reverend Mother； I am the one who is to nail up the coffin in the basement of the church； and no one can enter there but myself； and I will cover the coffin with the pall。〃
〃Yes； but the bearers； when they place it in the hearse and lower it into the grave； will be sure to feel that there is nothing in it。〃
〃Ah！ the de！〃 exclaimed Fauchelevent。
The prioress began to make the sign of the cross； and looked fixedly at the gardener。
The vil stuck fast in his throat。
He made haste to improvise an expedient to make her forget the oath。
〃I will put earth in the coffin； reverend Mother。
That will produce the effect of a corpse。〃
〃You are right。
Earth； that is the same thing as man。
So you will manage the empty coffin？〃
〃I will make that my special business。〃
The prioress's face； up to that moment troubled and clouded； grew serene once more。
She made the sign of a superior dismissing an inferior to him。
Fauchelevent went towards the door。
As he was on the point of passing out； the prioress raised her voice gently：
〃I am pleased with you； Father Fauvent； bring your brother to me to…morrow； after the burial； and tell him to fetch his daughter。〃
BOOK EIGHTH。CEMETERIES TAKE THAT WHICH IS MITTED THEM
CHAPTER IV
IN WHICH JEAN VALJEAN HAS QUITE THE AIR OF HAVING READ AUSTIN CASTILLEJO
The strides of a lame man are like the ogling glances of a one…eyed man； they do not reach their goal very promptly。
Moreover； Fauchelevent was in a dilemma。
He took nearly a quarter of an hour to return to his cottage in the garden。
Cosette had waked up。
Jean Valjean had placed her near the fire。
At the moment when Fauchelevent entered； Jean Valjean was pointing out to her the vintner's basket on the wall； and saying to her； 〃Listen attentively to me；