Toilers of the Sea (Version 2)
Victor Hugo
Play
Length 17 h 5 min
Chapters 96
First published 1888
The book is dedicated to the island of Guernsey, where Victor Hugo spent 15 years in exile. Hugo uses the setting of a small island community to convert seemingly mundane events into drama of the highest caliber. Set just after the Napoleonic Wars, Toilers of the Sea deals with the impact of the Industrial Revolution upon the island. The story concerns a Guernseyman named Gilliatt, a social outcast who falls in love with Deruchette, the niece of a local shipowner, Mess Lethierry. When Lethierry's ship is wrecked on a perilous reef, Deruchette promises to marry whoever can salvage the ship's steam engine. Gilliatt eagerly volunteers, and the story follows his physical trials and tribulations, as well as the undeserved disapproval of his neighbors.
This is a recording of the Isabel Hapgood translation, long considered the best of early translations of the work. - Summary by John Greenman
Chapters
1
Volume I - Dedication & Preface Read by John Greenman 2:17
2
Chaptef II - The Bû de la Rue Read by John Greenman 11:07
3
Chapter III - For your Wife when you Marry Read by John Greenman 8:11
4
Chapter IV - Unpopularity Read by John Greenman 20:52
5
Chapter V - Other Suspicious Things about Gilliatt Read by John Greenman 7:18
6
Chapter VI - The Paunch Boat Read by John Greenman 12:21
7
Chapter VII - For a Haunted House, a Visionary Inhabitant Read by John Greenman 7:19
8
Chapter VIII - The Chair of Gild-Holm-'Ur Read by John Greenman 6:25
9
Book Second - Mess Lethierry - Chapter I - A Restless Life and a Quiet Conscience Read by John Greenman 5:44
10
Chapter II - A Taste which he had Read by John Greenman 4:41
11
Chapter III - The Ancient Dialect of the Sea Read by John Greenman 6:15
12
Chapter IV - One is Vulnerable through what one Loves Read by John Greenman 3:42
13
Book Third - Durande and Déruchette - Chapter I - Chatter and Smoke Read by John Greenman 8:24
14
Chapter II - The Eternal History of Utopia Read by John Greenman 5:05
15
Chapter III - Rantaine Read by John Greenman 9:31
16
Chapter IV - Continuation of the History of Utopia Read by John Greenman 5:42
17
Chapter V - The Devil-Boat Read by John Greenman 11:59
18
Chapter VI - Entrance of Lethierry into Glory Read by John Greenman 5:17
19
Chapter VII - The same Godfather and the same Protectress Read by John Greenman 5:33
20
Chapter VIII - "Bonny Dundee" Read by John Greenman 8:25
21
Chapter IX - The Man who had seen through Rantaine Read by John Greenman 3:00
22
Chapter X - Tales of Long Voyages Read by John Greenman 7:00
23
Chapter XI - A Glance at Possible Husbands Read by John Greenman 3:12
24
Chapter XII - An Exception in the Character of Lethierry Read by John Greenman 11:43
25
Chapter XIII - Heedlessness adds New Grace to Beauty Read by John Greenman 3:33
26
Book Fourth - The Bagpipe - Chaprer I - The First Gleams of Dawn, or a Conflagration Read by John Greenman 6:25
27
Chapter II - An Entrance, Step by Step, into the Unknown Read by John Greenman 5:59
28
Chapter III - The Air "Bonny Dundee" finds an Echo on the Hill Read by John Greenman 3:15
29
Chapter IV - A Nocturnal Serenade Read by John Greenman 5:20
30
Chapter V - Well-Merited Success is always Hated Read by John Greenman 3:29
31
Chapter VI - The Luck of a Shipwrecked Crew in meeting a Sloop Read by John Greenman 5:39
32
Book Fifth - The Revolver - Chapter I - The Conversation at the Jean Tavern Read by John Greenman 18:27
33
Chapter II - Clubin perceives some one Read by John Greenman 5:58
34
Chapter III - Clubin Carries Away and does not Bring Back Read by John Greenman 6:49
35
Chapter IV - Plainmont Read by John Greenman 18:07
36
Chapter V - The Bird-Nesters Read by John Greenman 22:07
37
Chapter VI - The Jacressarde Read by John Greenman 17:17
38
Chapter VII - Nocturnal Purchasers and a Shady Vendor Read by John Greenman 7:29
39
Chapter VIII - The Red Ball and the Black Ball Carom Read by John Greenman 22:39
40
Chapter IX - Information Useful to Persons who await or who fear Letters from Across the Sea Read by John Greenman 10:11
41
Book Sixth - The Drunken Helmsman and the Sober Captain - Chapter I - The Douvres Rocks Read by John Greenman 8:13
42
Chapter II - Unexpected Brandy Read by John Greenman 8:42
43
Chapter III - Interrupted Conversations Read by John Greenman 17:20
44
Chapter IV - In which Captain Clubin displays all his Qualities Read by John Greenman 12:59
45
Chapter V - Clubin puts the Finishing Touch to Admiration Read by John Greenman 9:35
46
Chapter VI - The Interior of an Abyss Illuminated Read by John Greenman 20:59
47
Chapter VII - The Unexpected intervenes Read by John Greenman 9:46
48
Book Seventh - The Imprudence of asking Questions of a. Book - Chapter I - The Pearl at the Bottom of the Precipice Read by John Greenman 19:27
49
Chapter II - Much Astonishment on the Western Coast Read by John Greenman 11:19
50
Chapter III - Tempt not the Bible Read by John Greenman 20:39
51
Volume II - Part Two - Gilliatt The Crafty - Book First - The Reef - Chapter I - The Place which it is Hard to Reach and Difficult to Leave Read by John Greenman 13:24
52
Chapter II - The Thoroughness of the Disaster Read by John Greenman 7:20
53
Chapter III - Sound but not Safe Read by John Greenman 3:54
54
Chapter IV - A Preliminary Exmination Read by John Greenman 7:19
55
Chapter V - A Word as to the Secret Cooperation of the Elements Read by John Greenman 10:22
56
Chapter VI - A Stable for the Horse Read by John Greenman 5:54
57
Chapter VII - A Chamber for the Traveller Read by John Greenman 18:20
58
Chapter VIII - Importunaeque Volucres Read by John Greenman 5:36
59
Chapter IX - The Reef, and the Manner of Using it Read by John Greenman 8:01
60
Chapter X - The Forge Read by John Greenman 10:44
61
Chapter XI - A Discovery Read by John Greenman 10:20
62
Chapter XII - The Interior of a Submarine Edifice Read by John Greenman 5:33
63
Chapter XIII - What one sees there, and what one gets a Glimpse of Read by John Greenman 14:53
64
Book Second - Labor - Chapter I - The Resources of one who lacks Everything Read by John Greenman 7:03
65
Chapter II - How Shakespeare and Aeschylus can meet Read by John Greenman 4:42
66
Chapter III - Gilliatt's Masterpiece comes to the succor of Lethierry's Masterpiece Read by John Greenman 9:09
67
Chapter IV - Sub Re Read by John Greenman 15:42
68
Chapter V - Sub Umbra Read by John Greenman 16:50
69
Chapter VI - Gilliatt brings the Paunch into Position Read by John Greenman 6:31
70
Chapter VII - A Danger at Once Read by John Greenman 8:24
71
Chapter VIII - Change rather than Conclusion Read by John Greenman 8:48
72
Chapter IX - Success snatched away as soon as granted Read by John Greenman 4:04
73
Chapter X - The Warnings of the Sea Read by John Greenman 7:41
74
Chapter XI - A Word to the Wise is Sufficient Read by John Greenman 7:06
75
Book Third - The Battle - Chapter I - Extremes Meet Read by John Greenman 4:13
76
Chapter II - Sea Breezes Read by John Greenman 9:17
77
Chapter III - Explanation of the Noise to which Gilliatt Listened Read by John Greenman 8:51
78
Chapter IV - Turba, Turma Read by John Greenman 6:07
79
Chapter V - Gilliatt has his Choice Read by John Greenman 2:32
80
Chapter VI - The Combat Read by John Greenman 51:20
81
Book Four - The Pitfalls of the Obstacle - Chapter I - A Man who is Hungry is not the only Hungry one Read by John Greenman 11:37
82
Chapter II - The Monster Read by John Greenman 20:49
83
Chapter III - Another Form of Combat in the Gulf Read by John Greenman 7:13
84
Chapter IV - Nothing is Hidden and Nothing is Lost Read by John Greenman 9:48
85
Chapter V - In the Interval which Separates Six Inches from Two Feet there is Room to Lodge Death Read by John Greenman 8:41
86
Chapter VI - De Profundis ad Altum Read by John Greenman 16:56
87
Chapter VII - There is an Ear in the Unknown Read by John Greenman 4:48
88
Part Third - Déruchette - Book First - Night and Morn - Chapter I - The Bell of the Port Read by John Greenman 37:45
89
Chapter II - Again the Port Bell Read by John Greenman 21:15
90
Book Second - Gratitude in Full Despotism - Chapter I - Joy Surrounded by Anguish Read by John Greenman 24:41
91
Chapter II - The Leather Trunk Read by John Greenman 5:14
92
Book Third - Departure of the "Cashmere" - Chapter I - The Havelet quite close to the Church Read by John Greenman 7:31
93
Chapter II - Despairs in Presence of Each Other Read by John Greenman 18:25
94
Chapter III - The Foresight of Abnegation Read by John Greenman 12:13
95
Chapter IV - "For your Wife when you Marry" Read by John Greenman 8:34
96
Chapter V - The Great Tomb Read by John Greenman 21:47
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens babel.hathitrust.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
