The Bishop's Candlesticks - Victor Hugo

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The story revolves around 3 main characters. A Bishop is a noble and kind hearted soul. He does not mind selling away his silver to pay for a a poor lady's house rent. He seems to have quite a large part of his savings such charity. They are now very poor and have just a pair of silver candlesticks left.
The Bishop's sister is a typical practical lady. She is worried about the future. There is not much money left with the Bishop. The house is running on her money. She learns that the Bishop has sold the silver salt and pepper shakers to pay the house rent of poor Mere Gringoire. This upsets her.
They have had their supper and she decides to retire for the night.
A convict walks in through the open doors. He is desperate. Hungry and having escaped from jail, the convict threatens to kill the Bishop.
The Bishop is calm and controlled. He offers to give him some food to eat. He also listens to his story. We begin to understand the great hardships borne by the convict. He had to steal some bread to feed his ailing wife. He was arrested and sent to jail. Meanwhile his wife died. The poor man was treated cruelly in jail. Finally one day he escaped from jail but was again unable to find any food. That's when he comes to the Bishop's house.
The Bishop gives him food to eat and a place to sleep. The convict is too tempted by the silver candle sticks and steals them.
The sister is extremely hurt and offended by the convicts behaviour. The convict is seen roaming around suspiciously and is caught by the sergeant.
The convict is brought back to the Bishop's house. The Bishop's sister in relieved to get back the silver candlesticks. But the Bishop tells the sergeant that they were a gift from him to the convict. He gives them to the convict and shows him a safe escape route.Read here.