"And of railway stations," added the Abbé Gévresin.
"How of railway stations?"
"Yes, I assure you that churches situated near railway
stations have a special following of women on their journeys. There it is that our dear Madame Bavoil's shrewd remark finds justification. Many a country-woman who has the Curé of her own parish to dinner dares not tell him the tale of her adultery, because he could too easily guess the name of her lover, and because the propinquity of a priest living on intimate terms in her house would be inconvenient; so she takes advantage of an excursion to Paris to open her heart to another confessor who does not know her. As a general rule, when a woman speaks ill of her Curé, and begins the tale of her confession by explaining that he is dull, uneducated, unsympathetic in understanding and guiding souls, you may be certain that a confession is coming of sin against the sixth (seventh) Commandment."
"Well, well; the people who flutter around the Lord are cool hands!" exclaimed Madame Bavoil.
"They are unhappy creatures, who try to strike a balance between their duties and their vices.
"But enough of this; let us turn to something more immediate. Have you brought us the article on the Angelico, as you promised? Read it to us."
Durtal brought out of his pocket the manuscript he had finished, which was to be posted that evening to Paris.
He seated himself in one of the straw-bottomed arm-chairs in the middle of the room where they were sitting with the Abbé Gévresin, and began:—
THE CORONATION OF THE VIRGIN.