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Chapter 1 Jean Valjean
第1章 冉阿让
Foreward
引言
It is the year 1796, and the people of France are hungry. Not the rich people, of course.
时为1796年，法国人民正在忍饥挨饿。当然，不包括那些富人。
They have food, they have warm clothes, they have beautiful houses.
富人不缺食物，他们穿着暖和的衣服，住着漂亮的房子。
No, it is the poor people of France...
法国的穷苦百姓却...
Jean Valjean is one of these poor people.
冉阿让是这些穷苦百姓中的一员。
He is a young man, big, strong, and a good worker, but he has no work, he cannot find work, and he is hungry.
他年纪轻轻，块头大，身体壮，而且工作勤快，但是他没有工作，也找不到工作，只能饿着肚子。
He lives with his sister in the village of Brie.
他和姐姐住在一个叫布里的村子里。
Her husband is dead, and she has seven children.
姐姐死了丈夫，独自拉扯着七个孩子。
It is a cold hard winter, and there is no food in the house.
这是一个严寒的冬天，家里没有吃的了。
No bread, nothing, and seven children!
没有面包，什么都没有，却有七个孩子要养活！
Jean Valjean is a good man, he is not a thief.
冉阿让是个好人，他不是一个贼。
But how can a man just sit there, when his sister's children cry all night because they are hungry? What can a man do?
但是，当姐姐的孩子们因为挨饿而整夜啼哭的时候，一个男子汉怎么能干坐在那儿呢？一个男子汉能做些什么呢？
He leaves his house at night, and goes down the village street.
他趁着夜色出了门，沿着村里的街道一直走。
He puts his hand through the window of the bakery, crash! he takes a loaf of bread, and he runs.
他打碎了面包店的橱窗，哗啦！然后伸手进去，拿起一条面包就跑。
He runs fast, but other people run faster.
他跑得很快，但是有人跑得比他还快。
France is not kind to poor people. France sends Jean Valjean to prison for five years.
法国不是个善待穷人的国家。冉阿让被判了五年监禁。
After four years he escapes. They find him, and bring him back. They give him six more years.
坐了四年牢之后，他越狱了。他们找到了他，把他抓了回来，又给他加了六年刑。
Once again, he escapes, and two days later, they find him. And they give him another eight years.
他再次越狱，两天后，他们抓到了他，这一回又给他加了八年刑。
Nineteen years in prison -- for a loaf of bread!
他坐了十九年的牢--就为了一条面包！
In 1815, when he leaves prison, Jean Valjean is a different man. Prison changes people.
1815年，冉阿让出狱的时候，已经不再是当初那个他了。监狱会改变一个人。
Years of misery, years of backbreaking work, years of cruel prison guards. These things change a man.
年复一年的悲惨境遇，年复一年累垮脊背的苦力活儿，年复一年监狱看守的残酷虐待，这些都会改变一个人。
Once there was love in Jean Valjean's heart. Now, there is only hate.
从前，冉阿让的心里装的是爱。现在，他的心里只有恨。
