"'I did not say that you were in any evil odour at all.'
"'It is true,' he continued, 'that there are as many names written in your album as in Charles Trattner's almanack. That, however, does a pretty woman no harm. But me the Church would not forgive. If I get into evil odour, if I overstep the line, I shall be sent packing.'
"'Then celibacy obtains among the Calvinists also?'
"'Not celibacy, but we have the canonical prescriptions. A canonical offence is a very serious business for a Calvinist priest or schoolmaster. Let a man be a veritable John Chrysostom, and it will avail him nothing if he commit a canonical offence.'
"'And you have never committed a canonical offence?' I said to him.
"'Never!' he replied resolutely. And he grew quite red in the face. He was so proud of his virtue."
"Why surely this is quite a new thing?" I interrupted—"a thing never known in the world before: a man who is virtuous, and not ashamed to confess it?"
"Quite unique, isn't it? When I heard this I seized his hand and would not let him leave me. I could read from his eyes that it was the first time he had ever felt the pressure of a lady's hand. 'You have been candid,' I said to him, 'I will be candid also. You would never approach a woman whom you had not led to the altar. I know it. Then you shall lead me to the altar!'
"Even this did not seem to surprise him. His face remained as motionless as a statue.
"'That is soon done,' said he; 'but respice finem! Man proposes, but 'tis an old dog that holds on. I am not like other men. I am a very difficult man to get on with. You can't deal with me as with those who look through their fingers at the goings-on of their spouses. If I take you to wife, there must be an end to all this dancing and prancing and gadding about, and flirting and ogling. My wife will not have to go fasting, but she won't be allowed any junketing. I don't understand a joke. Do you see this cherry-wood pipe-stem? If I catch my wife at any piece of trickery, I'll break this cherry-stem across her back—take my word for it.'"