“Ah, my poor friend, let us veil our faces like the daughters of Sion.  It is written:  ‘If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die.’  Anastasius Gobin has lived too much after the flesh.  Alas! we know it, and you know it. Nemo melius judicare potest quam tu, as Brutus said to Cicero; so you will not share in the astonishment of the Cathedral worshippers.  I will relate the matter to you in private.

“Ergo.  You are henceforth safe from his persecution for ever; it is now only a question of regaining Monseigneur’s favour.  The serpent is no longer there to whisper perfidious insinuations into his too complaisant ear.  When the beast is dead, the venom is dead.

“I hope that adversity has been of use to you.  You have experienced what it costs not to be sufficiently yielding.  Now the future is yours; nothing has been lost except a few years, and those few years have brought, I hope, experience and knowledge of life.  Courage then. Filii Sion exultate et laetimini in Domino Deo nostro.

“I have faith more than ever in your lucky star, and I hope that you will form the consolation and the pride of my declining years.  Yes, my friend, you will do honour to your old master. Tu quoque Marcellus eris!

“As for myself, I am going to move heaven and earth for you, or, what is worth more, I am going to stir up the arriere-ban of the sacristies.

“I know some worthy sheep of influence, who, for my sake, will do anything in their power.  I have shown your photograph to the old Comtesse de Montluisant; she finds it charming, yes charming! and she has promised that before six months, Monseigneur shall swear by the Abbe Marcel alone.

“That is rather too much to presume, for the old man is as obstinate as an Auvergne mule; but what I can promise you is a change of cure—­that at length you shall leave your Thebaid.

“Once again then, my dear fellow, courage.  As soon as I have a few days to dispose of after Easter, I will hurry to you.  And while we are tasting your wine, provided it is good (which I doubt, you dreadful stoic), we will discuss what is best to do.

“Have patience then till then. Vos enim ad libertatem vocati estis, fratres, said St. Paul to the Galatians.  I say so to you.

“I embrace you tenderly,

“Your spiritual Father

“MARCEL RIDOUX

“Cure of St. Nicholas.”

XLVIII.

RECONCILIATION.

  “The fair Egle chooses her part on a sudden
  In the twinkling of an eye, she becomes charming.”

  CHAMPFORT (Contes).

“Here is salvation,” said Marcel to himself, “the solution of the problem, the end of my misery and shame, the blow which severs this infernal knot which enfolds me and was about to hurry me on to my ruin.  God be blessed!” And he turned joyfully to his servant who was watching him: