{
  "type": "quote",
  "site": {
    "name": "Leafy Quotes",
    "language": "en",
    "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com"
  },
  "formats": "Every page has two versions with the same data: JSON (the page address + .json) and markdown (the page address + .md). Append .json or .md to any `url` in this document.",
  "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo/les-miserables/be-it-true",
  "json": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo/les-miserables/be-it-true.json",
  "markdown": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo/les-miserables/be-it-true.md",
  "id": "554ecdf7-2a30-4d11-83b3-30a168456f4b",
  "slug": "be-it-true",
  "text": "Be it true or false, what is said about men often has as much influence upon their lives, and especially upon their destinies, as what they do.",
  "language": "en",
  "author": {
    "name": "Victor Hugo",
    "slug": "victor-hugo",
    "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo"
  },
  "book": {
    "title": "Les Miserables",
    "slug": "les-miserables",
    "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo/les-miserables"
  },
  "character": null,
  "chapter": null,
  "chapter_parent": null,
  "page": null,
  "verified": false,
  "original": {
    "language": "fr",
    "text": "Vrai ou faux, ce qu’on dit des hommes tient souvent autant de place dans leur vie et souvent dans leur destinée que ce qu’ils font."
  },
  "other_languages": [],
  "topics": [
    {
      "name": "gossip",
      "slug": "gossip",
      "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gossip"
    },
    {
      "name": "reputation",
      "slug": "reputation",
      "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/reputation"
    }
  ],
  "source": {
    "name": "Wikiquote",
    "url": "https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables#Book_I_-_An_Upright_Man",
    "license": {
      "label": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
      "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/"
    }
  },
  "added_at": "2026-09-26T08:09:47",
  "more_from_book": [
    {
      "id": "f2ec196b-7805-428b-9609-5d36b68472cb",
      "slug": "it-is-nothing",
      "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo/les-miserables/it-is-nothing",
      "text": "It is nothing to die; it is horrible not to live.",
      "language": "en",
      "character": null,
      "chapter": null,
      "chapter_parent": null,
      "page": null,
      "verified": false,
      "original": null,
      "other_languages": [],
      "topics": [
        {
          "name": "death",
          "slug": "death",
          "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/death"
        },
        {
          "name": "life",
          "slug": "life",
          "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/life"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "name": "Wikiquote",
        "url": "https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables#Ch._V_-_Night_Behind_Which_Is_Dawn",
        "license": {
          "label": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
          "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/"
        }
      },
      "added_at": "2026-09-26T08:09:50"
    },
    {
      "id": "f0212566-d0f4-4051-a801-30281d49a042",
      "slug": "the-soul-does",
      "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo/les-miserables/the-soul-does",
      "text": "The soul does not give itself up to despair until it has exhausted all illusions.",
      "language": "en",
      "character": null,
      "chapter": null,
      "chapter_parent": null,
      "page": 968,
      "verified": false,
      "original": null,
      "other_languages": [],
      "topics": [
        {
          "name": "despair",
          "slug": "despair",
          "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/despair"
        },
        {
          "name": "illusions",
          "slug": "illusions-2",
          "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/illusions-2"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "name": "Wikiquote",
        "url": "https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables#Book_XV_-_The_Rue_De_L'Homme_Arm%C3%A9",
        "license": {
          "label": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
          "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/"
        }
      },
      "added_at": "2026-09-26T08:09:50"
    },
    {
      "id": "e6b8aa90-f0d8-4bc6-8798-e21a6305d6b6",
      "slug": "the-forests-through",
      "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo/les-miserables/the-forests-through",
      "text": "The forests through which we have passed with our child, the trees under which we have walked, the convents in which we have hidden, the games, the free laughter of childhood, all is in shadow. I imagined that all that belonged to me. There was my folly. Those Thenardiers were wicked. We must forgive them. Cosette, the time has come to tell of your mother. Her name was Fantine. Remember that name: Fantine. Fall on your knees whenever you pronounce it. She suffered much. And loved you much. Her measure of unhappiness was as full as yours of happiness. Such are the distributions of God. He is on high, he sees us all, and he knows what he does in the midst of his great stars. So I am going away, my children. Love each other dearly always. There is scarcely anything else in the world but that: to love one another.",
      "language": "en",
      "character": null,
      "chapter": null,
      "chapter_parent": null,
      "page": null,
      "verified": false,
      "original": null,
      "other_languages": [],
      "topics": [
        {
          "name": "love",
          "slug": "love",
          "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/love"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "name": "Wikiquote",
        "url": "https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables#Ch._V_-_Night_Behind_Which_Is_Dawn",
        "license": {
          "label": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
          "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/"
        }
      },
      "added_at": "2026-09-26T08:09:50"
    }
  ]
}