during the public procession on the feast of corpus christi, when monseigneur rousselot came down the steps of the magnificent altar, set up through the generosity of madame de condamin on the place of the sub-prefecture, close to the very door of the small house she occupied, it was noticed with much surprise by the spectators that the bishop abruptly turned his back upon abbé faujas.

'ah! has there been some disagreement between them!' exclaimed madame rougon, who was looking out of her drawing-room window.

'didn't you know about it?' asked madame paloque, who was leaning over by the old lady's side. 'it has been the talk of the town since yesterday. abbé fenil has been restored to favour.'

[pg 159]

monsieur de condamin, who was standing behind the ladies, began to laugh. he had made his escape from his own house, saying that it smelt like a church.

'do you attach any importance to such trifles?' said he. 'the bishop is merely an old weathercock, turning one way or the other according as faujas or fenil blows against him; to-day it is one of them, to-morrow it will be the other. they have quarrelled and made it up again half a score times already. before three days are over, you will see that faujas will be the pet again.'

'i don't believe it,' exclaimed madame paloque; 'it is serious this time. it seems that abbé faujas has caused his lordship a great deal of worry. it appears that he formerly preached some sermons which excited great displeasure at rome. i can't explain the matter quite clearly, but i know that the bishop has received reproachful letters from rome, in which he is recommended to be on his guard. it is said that abbé faujas is simply a political agent.'

'who says so?' asked madame rougon, blinking her eyes as though to see the procession, which was then passing through the rue de la banne, more distinctly.

'i heard it said, but i really don't remember by whom,' the judge's wife replied carelessly.

then she retired, saying that one would be able to get a better view from the side-window. monsieur de condamin, however, took the vacant place by madame rougon, and whispered in the old lady's ear:

'i have already twice seen her going to abbé fenil's. they have some plot or other in hand, i'm sure. abbé faujas must have trodden somehow or other on that viper of a woman, and she's trying to bite him. if she were not so ugly i would do her the service of telling her that her husband will never be presiding judge.'

'why? i don't understand,' murmured the old lady, with a guileless expression.

monsieur de condamin looked at her curiously, and then began to smile.

the last two gendarmes in the procession had just disappeared round the corner of the cours sauvaire, and the few guests whom madame rougon had invited to witness the blessing of the altar returned into the drawing-room, where they chatted for a moment about the bishop's graciousness and the new banners of the different congregations, and[pg 160] especially the one belonging to the girls of the home of the virgin, which had attracted much attention. the ladies were loud in their praises, and abbé faujas's name was mentioned every moment in the most eulogistic terms.

'he is clearly a saint!' sniggered madame paloque to monsieur de condamin, who had taken a seat near her.

then, bending forward towards him, she added:

'i could not speak openly before madame rougon, you know, but there is a great deal of talk about abbé faujas and madame mouret. i dare say those unpleasant reports have reached the bishop's ears.'

'madame mouret is a charming woman, and extremely winning notwithstanding her forty years,' was all that monsieur de condamin said in reply.

'oh, yes! she is very charming, very charming, indeed,' murmured madame paloque, whose face turned quite green with spleen.

'extremely charming,' persisted the conservator of rivers and forests. 'she is at the age of genuine passion and great happiness. you ladies are given to judging each other unfavourably.'

thereupon he left the drawing-room, chuckling over madame paloque's suppressed rage.

the town was now indeed taking an absorbing interest in the continual struggle that went on between abbé faujas and abbé fenil for influence over the bishop. it was a ceaseless combat, like the struggles of a couple of buxom housekeepers for the affection of an old dotard. the bishop smiled knowingly; he had discovered how to maintain a kind of equilibrium between these opposing forces which he pitted one against the other, amused at seeing them overthrown in turn, and securing peace for himself by accepting the services of the one who temporarily gained the upper hand. to the dreadful stories which were told him to the detriment of his favourites, he paid but little attention, for he knew that the rival abbés were capable of accusing each other of murder.

'they are getting worse, my child,' the bishop said, in one of his expansive moments to abbé surin. 'i fancy that in the end paris will carry the day, and rome will get the worst of it; but i am not quite sure, and i shall leave them to wear each other out. when one has made an end of the other, things will be settled——by the way, just read me[pg 161] the third ode of horace; i'm afraid i've translated one of the lines rather badly.'

on the tuesday after the public procession the weather was lovely. laughter was heard both in the garden of the rastoils and in that of the sub-prefect, and numerous guests were sitting under the trees. abbé faujas read his breviary in the mourets' garden after his usual custom, while slowly walking up and down beside the tall hedges of box. for some days past he had kept the little door that led to the lane bolted; he was indeed coquetting with his neighbours and keeping aloof, in order that he might make them more anxious to see him. possibly too he had noticed a slight coldness in their manner after his last misunderstanding with the bishop, and the abominable reports that his enemies had circulated against him.

about five o'clock, just as the sun was sinking, abbé surin proposed a game of shuttlecock to monsieur rastoil's daughters. he was very clever at it himself; and, notwithstanding the approach of their thirtieth year, both angéline and aurélie were immensely fond of games. when the servant brought the battledores, abbé surin, looking about him for a shady spot, for the garden was still bright with the last rays of the sun, was struck with an idea of which the young ladies cordially approved.

'shall we go and play in the impasse des chevillottes?' he asked. 'we shall be shaded by the chestnut-trees there, and have more room.'

they left the garden and started a most delightful game in the lane. the two girls began, and angéline was the first who failed to keep the shuttlecock going. abbé surin, who took her place, handed his battledore with professional skill and ease. having tucked his cassock between his legs, he sprang backwards and forwards and sideways without cessation. his battledore caught the shuttlecock as it reached the ground and sent it flying, now to a surprising height, and now straight ahead like a bullet; and at times made it describe the most graceful curves. as a rule he preferred to be pitted against poor players, who, as they struck the shuttlecock at random, or, to use his own phrase, without any rhythm, brought all the skilful agility of his own play into exercise. mademoiselle aurélie, however, played a fair game. she vented a little cry like a swallow's every time she struck a blow with the battledore, and she laughed distractedly when the[pg 162] shuttlecock alighted on the young abbé's nose. gathering up her skirts, she waited for its return, or leaped backward with a great rustling of petticoats when he vengefully gave it a smarter blow than usual. at last the shuttlecock fell into her hair, and she almost toppled over upon her back. this greatly amused them all. angéline now took her sister's place; and every time that abbé faujas raised his eyes from his breviary as he paced the mourets' garden, he saw the white feathers of the shuttlecock skimming above the wall like a big butterfly.

'are you there, your reverence?' all at once cried angéline, at the little door. 'our shuttlecock has fallen into your garden.'

the abbé picked up the shuttlecock, which had dropped at his feet, and made up his mind to open the door.

'oh, thank you! your reverence,' said aurélie, who had already taken the battledore. 'only angéline would ever make such a stroke. the other day when papa was watching us she sent the shuttlecock right against his ear with such a bang that he was quite deaf till the next day.'

there was more laughter at this; and abbé surin, as rosy as a girl, delicately dabbed his brow with a handkerchief of fine texture. he pushed his fair hair behind his ears, and stood there with glistening eyes and flexible figure, using his battledore as a fan. in the excitement of the game his bands had got slightly displaced.

'monsieur le curé,' said he, as he took up his position again, 'you shall be umpire.'

abbé faujas, holding his breviary under his arm and smiling paternally, stood on the threshold of the little doorway. through the cart-entrance of the sub-prefecture, which was half open, he could see monsieur péqueur des saulaies seated in front of the cascade amidst his friends. the priest looked straight in front of him, however, and counted the points of the game, while complimenting abbé surin and consoling the young ladies.

'i tell you what, péqueur,' said monsieur de condamin, in a whisper, in the sub-prefect's ear, 'you make a mistake in not inviting that little abbé to your parties. he is a great favourite with the ladies, and he looks as though he could waltz to perfection.'

monsieur péqueur des saulaies, who was talking to monsieur delangre with much animation, did not however appear[pg 163] to hear the other, but went on with his conversation with the mayor.

'really, my dear sir,' he said, 'i don't know where you see all the merits that you profess to find in him. on the contrary, indeed, abbé faujas appears to me to be of very doubtful character. there is considerable suspicion attached to his past career, and strange things are said about him here. i really don't see why i should go down on my knees to this priest, especially as the clergy of plassans are hostile to us. i should gain no advantage by doing so.'

monsieur delangre and monsieur de condamin exchanged glances of intelligence, and then, by way of reply, nodded their heads.

'none, whatever,' continued the sub-prefect. 'it is no use pretending to look mysterious; i may tell you that i have myself written to paris. i was a good deal bothered, and i wanted to be quite certain about this faujas, whom you seem to look upon as a sort of prince in disguise. well! do you know what reply i got? they told me that they did not know him and could tell me nothing about him, and that i must carefully avoid mixing myself up with clerical matters. they are grumpy enough in paris as it is, since the election of that jackass lagrifoul, and i have to be prudent, you understand.'

the mayor exchanged another glance with the conservator of rivers and forests. he even slightly shrugged his shoulders before the correctly twirled moustaches of monsieur péqueur des saulaies.

'just listen to me,' he said to him after a moment's silence; 'you would like to be a prefect, wouldn't you?'

the sub-prefect smiled as he rocked himself in his chair.

'well, then, go at once, and shake hands with abbé faujas, who is waiting for you down there, while he is watching them play at shuttlecock.'

monsieur péqueur des saulaies was silent with astonishment. he seemed quite puzzled, turned towards monsieur de condamin, and asked, with some show of uneasiness:

'is that your advice also?'

'certainly; go and offer him your hand,' replied the conservator of rivers and forests.

then, with a slight touch of irony, he added:

'consult my wife, if you like; i know you have perfect confidence in her.'

madame de condamin was just approaching them. she[pg 164] was wearing a lovely pink and pearl-grey dress. when they spoke to her of the abbé she said graciously to the sub-prefect:

'it is very wrong of you to neglect your religious duties; one never sees you at church except perhaps when there is some official ceremony. it really distresses me very much, and i must try to convert you. what sort of opinion do you expect people will have of the government you represent, if they see you are not on the side of religion?—leave us, gentlemen; i am going to confess monsieur péqueur.'

she took a seat, smiling playfully.

'octavie,' said the sub-prefect, in an undertone, when they were alone together, 'don't make fun of me. you weren't a very pious person in the rue du helder in paris. it's all i can do to keep from laughing when i see you worshipping in saint-saturnin's.'

'you are too flippant, my friend,' she replied, 'and your flippancy will play you a bad turn one of these days. seriously, you quite distress me. i gave you credit for having more intelligence. are you so blind that you cannot see that you are tottering in your position? let me tell you that it is only from fear of alarming the legitimists at plassans that you haven't already been recalled. if the legitimists saw a new sub-prefect arriving here, they would take alarm, whereas so long as you remain here they will continue quietly sleeping, feeling certain of victory at the next election. all this is not very flattering for you; i am aware of that, and the more so as i know positively that the authorities are acting without taking you into their confidence. listen to me, my friend; i tell you that you are ruined if you don't divine certain things.'

he looked at her with unfeigned alarm.

'has "the great man" been writing to you?' he asked, referring to a personage whom they thus designated between themselves.

'no; he has broken entirely with me. i am not a fool, and i saw, before he did, the necessity of the separation. and i have nothing at all to complain of. he has shown me the greatest kindness. he found me a husband and gave me some excellent advice, which has proved extremely useful to me. but i have retained friends in paris; and i swear to you that you have only just got time left to cling on to the branches if you don't want to fall. don't be a pagan any[pg 165] longer, but go and offer your hand to abbé faujas. you will understand why later on, even if you can't guess it to-day.'

monsieur péqueur des saulaies lowered his eyes and seemed a little humiliated by the lesson he was receiving. he was very conceited, and, showing his white teeth, he tried to re-assert himself by murmuring tenderly:

'ah! if you had only been willing, octavie, we might have governed plassans between us. i asked you to resume that delightful life—'

'really now, you are a great idiot!' she interrupted in a tone of vexation. 'you annoy me with your "octavie." i am madame de condamin to everyone, my friend. can't you understand anything? i have an income of thirty thousand francs; i am queen of a whole sub-prefecture; i go everywhere; i am respected everywhere, bowed to and liked. what in the world should i do with you? you would only inconvenience me. i am a respectable woman, my friend.'

she rose from her seat and walked towards doctor porquier, who, according to his custom, had come to spend an hour in the garden chatting to his fair patients, after a round of visits.

'oh, doctor!' she exclaimed, with one of her pretty grimaces, 'i have got such a headache. it pains me just here, under the left eyebrow.'

'that is the side of the heart, madame,' said the doctor, gallantly.

madame de condamin smiled and did not carry the consultation any further. madame paloque, who was present, bent, however, towards her husband, whom she brought with her every time she came, in order that she might recommend him to the sub-prefect's influence, and whispered in his ear:

'that's the only way porquier has of curing them.'

when monsieur péqueur des saulaies had joined monsieur de condamin and monsieur delangre he man?uvred cleverly in such wise as to draw them towards the gateway. when he was within a few yards of it, he stopped and appeared to be interested in the game of shuttlecock which was still going on in the lane. abbé surin, with his hair blown about by the wind, the sleeves of his cassock rolled up, and his slender, white, womanly wrists displayed, had just stepped backwards, putting some twenty yards between himself and mademoiselle aurélie. he felt that he was being watched, and he quite surpassed himself. mademoiselle[pg 166] aurélie was also playing extremely well, spurred on, as it were, by the skill of her partner. thus the shuttlecock described long gentle curves with such regularity that it seemed to light of its own accord upon the battledores, going from one to the other player without either of them having to stir from their places. abbé surin, inclined slightly backwards, displayed his well-shaped bust to advantage.

'excellent! excellent!' cried the sub-prefect. 'ah! monsieur l'abbé, i must compliment you upon your skill.'

then, turning towards madame de condamin, doctor porquier and the paloques, he exclaimed:

'i've really never seen anything like it before. you will allow us to admire your play, i hope, monsieur l'abbé?'

the whole set of the sub-prefecture now formed into a group at the far end of the lane. abbé faujas had not moved from the position he had taken up. having acknowledged with a nod the salutations of monsieur delangre and monsieur de condamin, he went on counting the points of the game. when aurélie at last missed the shuttlecock, he said good-naturedly:

'that makes you three hundred and ten points, for the distance was altered; your sister has only forty-seven.'

however, while he appeared to follow the flight of the shuttlecock with all-absorbing interest, he every now and then glanced at the door of the rastoils' garden, which still remained open. monsieur maffre was as yet the only person who had shown himself there; but at last a voice called from inside the garden:

'what is amusing them so much out there?' it was monsieur rastoil, who was chatting with monsieur de bourdeu beside the rustic table, that asked the question.

'his lordship's secretary is playing at shuttlecock,' monsieur maffre replied. 'he is making some wonderful strokes and everybody is watching him. his reverence the curé is there, and seems quite amazed.'

monsieur de bourdeu took a big pinch of snuff as he exclaimed:

'ah! monsieur l'abbé faujas is there, is he?'

he glanced at monsieur rastoil, and they both seemed ill at ease.

'i have heard,' remarked the presiding judge, 'that the curé has been restored to the bishop's favour.'

'yes, indeed; this very morning,' said monsieur maffre.[pg 167] 'there has been a complete reconciliation, and i have heard some touching particulars about it. his lordship shed tears. ah, there can be no doubt that abbé fenil has cause for self-reproach.'

'i thought that you were the grand-vicar's friend,' observed monsieur de bourdeu.

'so i am, but i am also the curé's friend,' replied the justice of the peace. 'thank goodness! he is a man of sufficient piety to be able to despise all the calumnies of his enemies. they haven't even hesitated to question his morality! it is disgraceful!'

the ex-prefect again glanced at the presiding judge with a singular expression.

'and they've tried to compromise him in political matters,' continued monsieur maffre. 'they said that he had come here to overturn everything, to bestow places right and left and bring about the triumph of the paris clique. why, if he had been the chief of a band of brigands folks couldn't have said worse things about him than they have done. a pack of lies, all of them!'

monsieur de bourdeu was drawing a face on the gravel of the walk with the tip of his walking-stick.

'yes,' he said, carelessly, 'i have heard these things mentioned. but it is very unlikely that a minister of religion would allow himself to play such a part; and besides, to the honour of plassans, i think it may be said that he would have failed completely. there is no one here who could be bought.'

'oh! it's all stuff and nonsense, that!' cried the presiding judge, shrugging his shoulders. 'a town can't be turned inside out like an old coat. paris may send us as many spies and agents as she likes, but plassans will always keep legitimist. look at that little péqueur now! we've only made a single mouthful of him! folks must be very stupid to believe in mysterious personages running about the provinces offering places and appointments. i should be very curious to see one of those gentlemen.'

he seemed to be getting a little angry, and monsieur maffre, with some show of uneasiness, appeared to think it necessary to defend himself.

'pardon me,' he exclaimed. 'i have never asserted that abbé faujas was a bonapartist agent; on the contrary, i have always considered the accusation a most absurd one.'

'oh! it's not a question of abbé faujas. my remarks[pg 168] are quite general. people don't sell themselves in that way! abbé faujas is above all suspicion.'

there was an interval of silence. monsieur de bourdeu finished the face he was drawing on the gravel by adding a long pointed beard to it.

'abbé faujas has no political views,' he at last said in his dry voice.

'evidently,' replied monsieur rastoil; 'we found fault with him for his indifference, but now i approve of it. with all this gossip in the air, it would have had a prejudicial effect upon religion. you know as well as i do, bourdeu, that he can't be accused of the slightest suspicious step. he has never been seen at the sub-prefecture, has he? he kept with great propriety in his fitting place. if he were a bonapartist, he wouldn't be likely to conceal it, would he?'

'certainly not.'

'then, too, he leads a most exemplary life. my wife and my son have told me things about him which have affected me very much.'

the merriment in the little lane was now louder than ever. abbé faujas could be heard complimenting mademoiselle aurélie on some wonderful stroke of her battledore. monsieur rastoil, who had checked himself for a moment, continued, with a smile:

'just listen to them! what can they find in it to amuse them so much? it makes one quite long to be young again!'

then, in a more serious tone, he added:

'yes, my wife and my son have made me feel a strong liking for abbé faujas; and we are very sorry that his discreet reserve keeps him from joining our circle.'

as monsieur bourdeu nodded his head approvingly, shouts of applause were heard in the alley. there was a perfect uproar of hand-clapping, laughter and shouts, as though some troop of school-boys had just rushed out to play. monsieur rastoil rose from his rustic chair.

'good gracious!' he said, with a smile; 'let us go and see what they are up to. my legs are beginning to feel a little cramped.'

the others followed him, and they all three went and stood by the little door. it was the first time that the presiding judge and the ex-prefect had ventured so far. when they saw the group formed by the sub-prefect's guests at the end of the lane, their faces assumed a serious expression.[pg 169] monsieur péqueur des saulaies, for his part, drew himself up and put on an official attitude. madame de condamin went flitting to and fro along the lane laughing and smiling and filling the place with the rustle of her pink and grey dress. the two sets of guests kept glancing at one another, neither being willing to retire, while abbé faujas still maintained his position between them at mouret's door, quietly enjoying himself without seeming in the least degree conscious of the delicacy of the situation.

all the spectators held their breath; for abbé surin, seeing that their number had increased, was desirous of winning their applause by a last exhibition of skill. he brought all his science into play, created difficulties for himself on purpose to overcome them, turned round and struck at the shuttlecock without looking at it, but seemingly divining its position, and thus sending it back over his head to mademoiselle aurélie with mathematical precision. he was very much flushed and was perspiring freely. he had thrown his hat off, and his bands were now hanging over his right shoulder. but he was the victor, and he looked as he always did, amiable and charming. the two groups of guests lingered there admiring him, and madame de condamin had to repress the applause, which burst out prematurely and inopportunely, by shaking her lace handkerchief. then the young abbé, introducing still further refinements into his play, began to skip about first to right and then to left, each time receiving the shuttlecock in a fresh position. this was the grand final flourish. he accelerated the rapidity of his play, and at last, just as he was jumping aside, his foot slipped and he nearly fell upon the bosom of madame de condamin, who had stretched out her arms with a little cry. the spectators, thinking he was hurt, rushed up, but the abbé, who was pressing the ground with his hands and knees, sprang up again by a strong effort, and sent the shuttlecock, which had not yet fallen, spinning back to mademoiselle aurélie. then, flourishing his battledore, he triumphed.

'bravo! bravo!' cried monsieur péqueur des saulaies, stepping up to him.

'bravo! it was a magnificent stroke!' exclaimed monsieur rastoil, who also came up.

the game was interrupted, for the two sets of guests had now invaded the lane, and were mingled with each other, crowding around abbé surin, who leant, quite out of breath,[pg 170] against the wall by abbé faujas's side. everybody began talking at once.

'i was afraid that he had split his skull,' said doctor porquier to monsieur maffre, in a voice full of emotion.

'yes, these games generally have a bad ending,' remarked monsieur de bourdeu, addressing himself to monsieur delangre and the paloques, while he received a shake of the hand from monsieur de condamin, whom he always tried to avoid in the streets, so that he might not have to bow to him.

madame de condamin went from the sub-prefect to the presiding judge, bringing them face to face, and exclaiming:

'but really, i am more upset than he is! i thought that we were going to fall together. there is a big stone there; did you notice it?'

'yes, i see it there,' said monsieur rastoil; 'it must have caught against his heel.'

'was it this round stone, do you think?' asked monsieur péqueur des saulaies, picking up a pebble.

they had never spoken to each other before, except at official ceremonies. now, however, they began to examine the stone, and passed it from one to the other, remarking that it was very sharp, and must have cut the abbé's shoe. madame de condamin stood smiling between them, and assured them that she was beginning to feel better.

'oh! the abbé is feeling ill!' suddenly cried monsieur rastoil's daughters.

abbé surin had, indeed, turned very pale at hearing of the danger he had run. he was reeling with faintness, when abbé faujas, who had kept aloof, took him in his powerful arms, and carried him into mouret's garden, where he seated him upon a chair. the two sets of guests soon swarmed into the arbour, where the young abbé completely fainted away.

'get some water and some vinegar, rose!' cried abbé faujas, running towards the steps.

mouret, who was in the dining-room, came to the window, but, on seeing all those people in his garden, he recoiled as though he were struck with fear, and kept himself out of sight. rose soon came up with a collection of drugs, muttering, as she hastened along:

'if only madame were here! but she has gone to the seminary to see the lad. i am all alone, and i can't do[pg 171] impossibilities, can i? the master won't stir an inch; anybody might die for all he cared. there he is in the dining-room, hiding himself! he would let you die, before he would get you even a glass of water.'

by the time she had got through this grumble, she had reached abbé surin, who was lying in a swoon. 'oh! the cherub!' she exclaimed, overcome with womanly pity.

the young abbé, with his closed eyes and his pale brow wreathed with long, fair hair, looked like one of the sweet-faced martyrs that one sees expiring in sacred pictures. the elder of the rastoil girls was supporting his head, which lay back, allowing his delicate, white neck to be seen. they were all in great excitement over him. madame de condamin gently dabbed his brow with a rag soaked in vinegar and water, and the others stood anxiously looking at her. at last the young abbé opened his eyes, but closed them again immediately. he had two more swoons before he recovered.

'you have given me a terrible fright!' at last said doctor porquier, who had kept his hand fast in his own.

abbé surin, still sitting on the chair, stammered out confused thanks, and assured them all that it was a mere nothing. then he saw that his cassock had been unbuttoned, and he smiled as he buttoned it and readjusted his bands. to prove that he was all right again, when the company advised him to keep quiet, he went back to the lane with the rastoil girls in order to finish the game.

'you have a very nice place here,' said monsieur rastoil to abbé faujas, whose side he had not quitted.

'the air on this slope is delightful,' added monsieur péqueur des saulaies, in his charming manner.

then both sets of guests began looking with curiosity at mouret's house.

'perhaps the ladies and gentlemen would like to stay in the garden a little while,' exclaimed rose; 'i will go and get some chairs.'

she made three journeys in quest of them, in spite of the protestations of the company. then, after glancing at each other for a moment, the two sets of guests felt constrained by courtesy to seat themselves. the sub-prefect installed himself on abbé faujas's right hand, while the presiding judge took a chair on his left, and a friendly conversation at once began.

'you are a very quiet neighbour, monsieur le curé,' said[pg 172] monsieur péqueur des saulaies very graciously; 'you can't imagine what pleasure it gives me to see you every day at the same hour in this little paradise. it seems to bring me a feeling of restfulness, after all the noise and worry i have.'

'a pleasant neighbour is a very rare thing,' observed monsieur rastoil.

'quite true,' said monsieur de bourdeu. 'but his reverence seems to have filled this spot with the peaceful tranquillity of a cloister.'

while the abbé was smiling and acknowledging these complimentary remarks, monsieur de condamin, who had not yet seated himself, stooped and whispered in monsieur delangre's ear:

'there's rastoil, hoping to get that lout of a son of his made assessor to the public prosecutor.'

monsieur delangre, however, gave him an angry glance, trembling at the thought that this incorrigible chatterer might spoil everything. but this did not prevent the conservator of rivers and forests from adding:

'and bourdeu, too, is flattering himself that he has already won back his prefecture.'

meantime, madame de condamin had caused a great sensation by saying, in a meaning way:

'what i like about this garden is the tender charm it seems to possess, which makes it a nook apart from all the cares and wretchedness of the world. it is a spot where even cain and abel might have become reconciled.'

she emphasized her last words and gave two glances, one to the right and the other to the left, towards the neighbouring gardens. monsieur maffre and doctor porquier nodded approvingly; while the paloques looked at each other inquisitively, feeling uneasy and fearing to compromise themselves should they open their mouths.

at the end of a quarter of an hour monsieur rastoil rose from his seat.

'my wife will be wondering where we have got to,' said he.

and thereupon the whole company rose, feeling somewhat embarrassed as to the manner of their leave-taking. but abbé faujas spread out his hands and said, with the pleasantest possible smile:

'my paradise is always open to you.'

the presiding judge then promised to come and see the[pg 173] curé every now and then, and the sub-prefect, with more effusiveness, declared that he would do the same. for another five minutes they all lingered there, exchanging compliments, while, out in the lane, the laughter of the rastoil girls and abbé surin was again heard. a fresh game was going on with all the animation of the previous one, and the shuttlecock could be seen passing backwards and forwards in its regular flight above the garden wall.