Les Misérables, Book 6: Le Petit-Picpus, Chapter 7 summary
Book 6: Le Petit-Picpus, Chapter 7 of 365 · 4 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 7, the narrator describes the leaders, nuns, pupils, and daily rules of Petit-Picpus, showing kindness toward children alongside severe personal discipline. The account explains how bells replace speech and how restrictions on male visitors preserve the convent’s separation from the outside world.
What happens
- Mademoiselle de Blemeur leads Petit-Picpus as Mother Innocente, combining learning and practical ability with unusual cheerfulness.
- The narrator lists the other nuns, noting their duties, backgrounds, talents, and personal traits.
- Mother Sainte-Mechtilde arranges seven pupils by age and height to sing together.
- The women care generously for the children but do not answer when children speak to them.
- Distinct bell signals announce duties, summon residents, and mark the opening of the secluded entrance.
- The narrator identifies the few men admitted to the convent or visible to the schoolgirls.
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What does the bell signal six-five announce?
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