Chapter name- The Bishop’s Candlesticks
By- Norman Mckinnel
Ans1. The play- ‘The Bishop’s Candlesticks‘ by Norman McKinnel opens in the bishop’s house where silver candlesticks were kept. The maid Marie is seen stirring the soup on the fire. The bishop’s sister Persome is laying the cloth and seems worried about his brother as it is eleven in the night. She wondered where his brother had been at such a late hour. She asks Marie about his brother who said that he has gone to meet her ailing mother. Persome then instructed Marie to put the salt cellars on the table. Marie responded to Persome that salt cellars are being sold to pay the rent of the Mere Gringoire house by the bishop. Persome cusses the old lady soon afterward. She grunted that in this manner his brother would sell everything of the house to help others.The bishop now entered back home. He informed Marie that her mother is feeling fine now. As it was cold outside he gave his muffler to Marie and asked her to go back to her house. Persome is quite angry with his brother. She says every clever person will use him for his kindness. He will donate everything in the cottage for this. Bishop replied that there are many sufferings in the world, this is the least he can do to bring such a small difference.Persome replied that one day he would sell the candlesticks as well. But the bishop assured that he would never do it as candlesticks were given by their mother on her deathbed.The convict entered at midnight with a knife in his hand. Persome went to the bed and the bishop started reading. The convict demanded food from the bishop. The bishop asked his sister to open the cupboard of food and served him cold pie, wine, and bread. The convict had the whole of the food. After having the food, the convict narrated how he went to prison. He told the bishop that he had a home and a wife. His wife was very ill. He had no food or a job. His wife was dying. Therefore, he stole some money to buy some food but he got caught and was given ten years imprisonment. His wife died the day he was imprisoned. He was treated very badly in prison. He was beaten up and was fed filth-filled food. One day, they forgot to chain him, and then he escaped. After his escape, he is wandering and nobody is ready to provide him food or shelter. The bishop felt very sad hearing his story and assured him that although he’s suffered a lot there’s still hope for him. He then tells the convict to sleep in the room for the night and goes inside to bring a blanket for him. The convict then looked at the candlesticks and took them in his hands, finding them heavy and made of pure silver. The Bishop noticed the candlestick in the convict’s hands and told him that they are a parting gift of his dead mother. Bishop wished the convict a good night and went to sleep. After that, the convict hides the candlesticks in his coat and escapes. After some time, Persome finds the candlesticks missing and tells the bishop about that. The bishop regretted the loss of the candlesticks. Persome wanted to inform the police about it but the bishop disagreed on this as he didn’t want the convict to go to jail again. But Persome insists on doing the same. On which the Bishop instructed her not to do so. Just then a sergeant with three policemen and the convict entered. The sergeant said that this man was going along the road suspiciously. The sergeant checked him out entirely and found the candlesticks which he knows belong to the bishop. That’s why they brought them to him. The bishop saw the convict and said that the gentleman they had brought is his friend. He gave those candlesticks to him. The sergeant accepted his explanation and left. The convict now changed into a good man. Persome shamed him but the bishop asked him to sleep. But he said he wanted to travel to Paris at night itself. He then admitted that good is still present in the world. The bishop gave the candlesticks as a parting gift to him, also telling him the way to Paris.The convict started crying and said that the bishop helped him in becoming another man from a wild beast. As parting advice, the bishop told the convict that the body is the temple of the living god.