It’s 8:00 PM on the same night, about the time that Valjean found his way to the bench, and we find ourselves in the home of bishop Myriel, along with his sister mademoiselle Baptistine and their companion Madame Magloire. As the bishop enters the dining room (which has a door that opens out into the street) he finds his sister and Mme. Magloire engaged in a conversation. It seems that Magloire has picked up the chatter in the village about this Valjean character and is convinced (along with the rest of the town) that this man is likely to do something terrible this very night. She is bemoaning the lack of locks and the general orientation of the bishop in his insistence on keeping a door that is quite literally always open to anyone who may come calling.
As the bishop overhears this and asks some questions, Mme. Magloire presses her point home: She believes that immediately the locksmith should be fetched and bolts should be put back on the door, at least for the night. Her fear is palpable, and though Myriel’s sister mademoiselle Baptistine resists it a bit, Magloire insists she speaks for both of them. Before the bishop can fully respond a loud knock is heard at the door and without any hesitation the bishop says “Come in”. The chapter ends.
I have locks on my doors. I take safety seriously and don’t want to take unnecessary risks. I would like to think I am the type of person that would be willing to help Valjean, but in reality, I don’t know what I would do in this situation. I think at the very least I may hesitate. The door opened slightly, the stranger on the porch, a conversation had with some intentional distance. Not so for Myriel. “Come in!” he says, without even verifying who it is or what they may want. Wild.