—­It is precisely for that reason that it is indispensable for you to hasten to go and see her, in order to make her acquaintance.  You have only to present yourself, and I assure you even if you were not sent by me, she would receive you with the greatest pleasure.  For, between ourselves be it said, she is an elderly coquette, but she is good-natured and knows how to remember her old friends.  You will have therefore to be amiable, insinuating, respectful, assiduous.  You might even tell her that she is charming, and that one sees she has been very pretty; which is true.  Old ladies dote on young people, and devout old ladies on young priests, especially on those with a figure and face like yours.  “The face is everywhere the first letter of introduction,” said Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, and I assure that with Madame de Montluisant, you will not require another.  Ah, the Comtesse de Montluisant, my friend, there is a precious soul!  What a misfortune that she is a little over-ripe!  It is all the same to you, and if you are wise, you will pass over that defect, which she amply atones for by her amiable qualities.  She has the complete mastery of Monseigneur.  She is the Maintenon of that old Louis XIV.  Be to her what she is to him, and have the mastery of her in your turn.  I was talking to you a little while ago about scruples; for once you must leave them at home or put them in the bottom of your cassock. Dixi!  You have understood me I hope.

—­No, uncle, I don’t understand you.

—­Are you talking seriously?

—­I declare, uncle, that I don’t understand you.

—­O rara avis in terris, oh phoenix! oh pearl! you don’t understand me!!!  Well, I am come expressly, however, to make myself understood.  Must I put the dots on the i’s for you?  You don’t understand me, you say?  Surely, you are making fun of me.  Come, look me straight in the face; in the white of my eyes ... yes, like that, and dare to tell me that you have not understood me, and keep serious.  Ah, ah, you are laughing, you are laughing.  You see you cannot look at me without laughing.

LXV.

TABLE TALK.

“I allow that it is necessary to be virtuous in order to be happy, but I assert that it is necessary to be happy in order to be virtuous.”

  CH.  LEMESLES (Tablettes d’un sceptique).

They sat down to table.  It was an excellent meal, and the worthy Ridoux tried to make it cheerful, but a vague feeling of sorrow oppressed Marcel.

That departure, which he had so eagerly desired before, and the hope of which he had clung to as one lays hold of a means of safety, he could not think of without grief, when he saw it near and practicable.  Undoubtedly he would leave without regret this village, where his youth was buried, where his abilities were rendered unfruitful, where his sanguine aspirations were slowly killing themselves....  But Suzanne?