Les Misérables
the dining-room, a long and superb gallery which was situated on the ground floor and opened on the gardens, M. Henri Puget had entertained in state, on July 29, 1714, My Lords Charles Brûlart de Genlis, archbishop; Prince d’Embrun; Antoine de Mesgrigny, the capuchin, Bishop of Grasse; Philippe de Vendôme, Grand Prior of France, Abbé of Saint Honoré de Lérins; François de Berton de Crillon, bishop, Baron de Vence; César de Sabran de Forcalquier, bishop, Seignor of Glandève; and Jean Soanen, Priest of the Oratory, preacher in ordinary to the king, bishop, Seignor of Senez. The portraits of these seven reverend personages decorated this apartment; and this memorable date, the 29th of July, 1714, was there engraved in letters of gold on a table of white marble. 

 The hospital was a low and narrow building of a single story, with a small garden. 

 Three days after his arrival, the Bishop visited the hospital. The visit ended, he had the director requested to be so good as to come to his house. 

 “Monsieur the director of the hospital,” said he to him, “how many sick people have you at the present moment?” 

 “Twenty-six, Monseigneur.” 

 “That was the number which I counted,” said the Bishop. 

 “The beds,” pursued the director, “are very much crowded against each other.” 

 “That is what I observed.” 

 “The halls are nothing but rooms, and it is with difficulty that the air can be changed in them.” 

 “So it seems to me.” 

 “And then, when there is a ray of sun, the garden is very small for the convalescents.” 

 “That was what I said to myself.” 

 “In case of epidemics,—we have had the typhus fever this year; we had the sweating sickness two years ago, and a hundred patients at times,—we know not what to do.” 

 “That is the thought which occurred to me.” 

 “What would you have, Monseigneur?” said the director. “One must resign one’s self.” 


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