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| The Strange Man |
I was sitting at my dinning room table, alone because Madeline had travelled to Paris for her cousins wedding. I could not make the trip for my leg was broken. I sat there eating my soup when suddenly I heard the door knock. I grabbed my walking stick and approached the door and opened it. I saw a strange man there at the door, almost instantly a foul odor came to my senses. I covered my nose. “Hello, I have pay I do I do” said the man. I looked at him once again and noticed he was a very ill looking person, dreary eyes and huge rings under them, his hair was long and savage looking, and he had a large coat on, ripped at various parts. His hand was shaking. I was confused, “you have money for what” I asked. “I have walked thirteen leagues, my legs cannot hold my body any longer, I’m thirsty and hungry, I have pay I do”. There was a sense of sadness in his voice. “Have you been to the INN?” I said to him. “Yes but they would not take me” he said in a low shy tone. I hadn’t gone out all day, and I could use some company. I let the strange man into my home.
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| Me |
We walked in, I pointed at my bowl of soup. “How many francs do you want? I swear I have money” he said. “No worry, I had made extra, I’m glad I wont have to throw it away” I said. He sat down, I observed him for a moment, he looked quite innocent, he did not seem as he would bring any harm to my home or me. I served myself so more soup and arrived at the table. I sat down and saw his bowl empty, this astonished me; it was quite a large bowl and I had barley eaten any. “w water” He said stuttering. “How long ago was it since you have eaten?” I said softly. “2 days” he said as he was starring at his empty bowl. This made me wonder, he had not eaten in 2 days yet he had so much money. “Why is it that the INN did not accept you here at the town of d----?” I said with a confused sort of tone. “Oh its its nothing” said the man. “What’s you’re name?” I asked. Jean Valjean he said.
At this moment my heart stopped, how foolish of me not to ask a strangers name before I let him into my house, but yet he looked so innocent and spoke with a harmless tone. I had to do something, this man was a criminal, was in jail for nineteen years, my disability to walk normally was even worse. I tried to act normally, as if I knew he was a man who did not carry the yellow passport. I began to think of what I could say. Should I kick him out? Yes. How should I do it?. I gathered myself and told him after a long and awkward pause. “Sir, I am sorry but my wife is coming back tonight and I’m not sure she would enjoy a strange man in our home” I lied, she was coming back in three days. “I have money sir please have pity please sir please I need a place to sleep”. “No sir, please leave my home take another bowl of soup and here have some water but I’m afraid you have to leave.” I said with a very serious tone. “Farewell, thank you for the meal” he said, speaking with a tone as if he were about to burst into tears. The man left, I closed the door.
