The Bishop is a very noble person, who is always ready to help anyone in distress. The doors of his house are always open. But his sister Persona is materialistic. She feels that the simplicity and nobility of the bishop is misused by the people. He is often cheated and taken undue advantage of. Mere Gringoire, the old women who lives on the top of the hill and does no work made such a fool of the bishop by making him sell his silver salt cellars to pay her rent.
One day, past midnight a convict enters the bishop’s house and asks for food at the point of a knife. The convict is rude, hard hearted, rough and suspicious and full of fear. The bishop treats him with kindness and provides him food and shelter.
The convict is tempted to steal the bishops silver candlesticks. But he gets caught and is arrested and brought before the bishop. This candlestick was very dear to the bishop as it was the parting gift presented to him by his mother. But the bishop called the convict his friend. Later he gives the candlesticks to the convict, blesses him and tells him a secret way to Paris. The convict is deeply touched and filled with remorse.
The bishop succeeds in reforming the hardened convict and tells him that the human heart is the abode of God.