"No, no," said he eagerly, and slightly embarrassed. "Stay as long as you choose, but don't begin again!" …
The next day, seeing the curé so surrounded that he could not disengage himself, and in danger of leaving his cassock in the hands of the pilgrims, the artist ran to his relief and offered him his arm.
"I constitute myself your bodyguard," said he gallantly.
"Then I am emperor! … But this is not the question. Do you know, I would like to excommunicate you?"
"Really, Monsieur le Curé, what a tremendous word! Have I, then, committed so shocking a crime?"
"Bah! you understand me well enough."
"Well then, what?"
"You cause me constant distraction; and when you think seriously, would it not be far better to take the head of the first dog you meet?"
"O Monsieur le Curé!"
And when the model was finished and the curé saw it,