Goose-Skin (in a low voice to the trouvere)—"The looks of that specter chill me to the marrow of my bones. We are lost!"
Montfort (to Mylio, angrily)—"Hold your tongue, blasphemer! Heretic dog! If you do not, I shall have your tongue torn out!"
Abbot Reynier (to Montfort with unction)—"My dear brother, we should have contempt only for such insults. The wretch is possessed. Helas! He no longer belongs to himself. It is the demon that speaks through his mouth."
Mylio (impetuously to the abbot)—"Will you dare deny that you crept one night into the close of the mill of Chaillotte, the despicable coupler in your service, with evil designs on Florette, and that, but for Goose-Skin, who is here a witness, and myself, you would have succeeded in your satanic purpose and blighted the poor child?"
Goose-Skin (breaks in upon Mylio trembling at every limb, throws himself at Montfort's feet and clasping his hands cries)—"Illustrious and benevolent seigneur, I remember nothing—I am wholly upset, fascinated, dazed. All that I remember is that I was a pig, an unclean animal. Alack! It was no fault of mine, because, Oh! redoubtable prop of the Church, I have not yet received baptism. Alack! Not yet. But a second ago, the instant I beheld your august face, it seemed to me that I saw a light like a halo shining around your holy person. One of those divine rays penetrated my body and it has suddenly given me an inextinguishable thirst for celestial knowledge; it has caused me to pant after the baptismal waters that will purify me of my abominable sins. Oh, pious seigneur! May you and your saintly spouse deign to officiate as my god-father and god-mother; consent, I pray you, to hold me over the baptismal font—I shall be a model of fidelity. My body shall be harnessed in beads and scapularies!"
Montfort (aside to Abbot Reynier)—"Hem! Meseems this fat miscreant has been illumined rather too suddenly by the light of heaven—and yet he might be sincere!"
Alyx of Montmorency—"It often pleases the Lord to accelerate the effects of His grace in order to render them more striking."
Abbot Reynier (aside to the count and his wife)—"It also might be that the fear of death and not faith has brought about the conversion of this sinner."
Montfort—"What is there to be done, reverend Father? How shall we interpret his conduct?"
Abbot Reynier (aside to the count)—"He should be sent to the pyre along with the rest."