One day the curé bent toward him.
"You are well aware, monsieur," said he in a gentle tone, "that you are causing distraction to every one—and to me also!"
What was he to do? How defend himself to a man so very polite! "I would have preferred harshness," said the artist to me. "This gentleness disconcerted me."
He returned to the monastery decided to renounce the enterprise. "Persevere!" again said the missionaries.
The artist renewed his work.
Two days after, in the street, where he now worked from choice, the curé again addressed him:
"Have you, then, nothing to do at home?"
"O Monsieur le Curé! one would think that you would turn me out of doors."
This time the curé was disconcerted.