"But one is going to retire."
"And who will take his place?"
"Never mind," she said, smiling provokingly. "The Liberals are going to have a convention to-morrow evening in the Comeauville schoolhouse, and women are going. Then you will see—why there is Father Duvair. What does he wish?"
She sprang lightly from the hammock, and while she watched the priest, Agapit watched her, and saw that she grew first as pale as a lily, then red as a rose.
The parish priest was walking slowly towards the inn. He was a young man of tall, commanding presence, and being a priest "out of France," he had on a soutane (cassock) and a three-cornered hat. On the Bay are Irish priests, Nova Scotian priests, Acadien priests, and French-Canadian priests, but only the priests "out of France" hold to the strictly French customs of dress. The others dress as do the Halifax ecclesiastics, in tall silk or shovel hats and black broadcloth garments like those worn by clergymen of Protestant denominations.
"Bon jour, mademoiselle," he said to Bidiane.
"Bon jour, monsieur le curé," she replied, with deep respect.
"Is Madame Corbineau within?" he went on, after warmly greeting Agapit, who was an old favorite of his.
"Yes, monsieur le curé,—I will take you to her," and she led the way to the house.
In a few minutes she came dejectedly back. "You are in trouble," said Agapit, tenderly; "what is it?"