'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?'