‘I guessed as much,’ said he. ‘I said so, the moment I saw you at the ferry.’
The père is no bad judge of horse-flesh, thought I, to detect the condition of our beasts at that distance.
‘“There’s something for me,” said I to Madame Guyon. “Look yonder! See how their cattle are blowing! They’ve lost no time, and neither will I.” And with that I put on my gown and came up here.’
‘How considerate of you, père; you saw we should need your help.’
‘Of course I did,’ said he, chuckling. ‘Of course I did. Old Grégoire, here, is so stupid and so indolent that I have to keep a sharp lookout myself. But he’s the maire, and one can’t quarrel with him.’
‘Very true,’ said I. ‘A functionary has a hundred opportunities of doing civil things, or the reverse.’
‘That’s exactly the case,’ said the père. ‘Without him we should have no law on our side. It would be all sous la cheminée, as they say.’
The expression was new to me, and I imagined the good priest to mean, that without the magistrature, respect for the laws might as well be ‘up the chimney.’
‘And now, if you will allow me, we ‘ll pay our duty to the lady,’ said the Père José, when he had completed his toilette to his satisfaction.
When the ceremonial of presenting the père was over I informed Laura of his great kindness in our behalf, and the trouble he had taken to provide us with an equipage.