The Grip of Desire Part 53

--Monseigneur is much engaged, said a kind of _valet de chambre_ with a sneaking look; I don't think he can receive you. You will call again to-morrow. Monseigneur has given orders not to be disturbed.

--Then I will wait.

--Wait if you wish to, replied the lacquey, but you run the risk of waiting a long time.

If it had not been for the valet's insolence, Marcel would no doubt have gone away, and perhaps, would have abandoned the affair; but, humiliated at hearing himself addressed in that tone, he became obstinate.

--Can you not then inform Monseigneur that the Cure of Althausen desires to speak with him?

--Althausen! Ah, well! I believe that the Cure of Mattaincourt and Monsieur le Cure of the Cathedral have called and not been received, replied the valet; consequently, he added _in petto_, we shall not disturb ourselves for a junior like you.

--Can I speak with _Monseigneur_ the Secretary?

--Monsieur l'Abbe Gaudinet does not like to be disturbed, and I believe besides that he is in conference with his Lordship.

Marcel was aware that in the episcopal Palace the village Cures are treated with less regard than the dogs in the back-yard; therefore he took his own part, and he had just sat down on a bench without saying a word, deliberating with himself whether be ought to wait or to go away, when a little priest with a busy and important air, with spectacles on his nose and a pen behind his ear, quickly crossed the anteroom.

--Is it not Monsieur l'Abbe Gaudinet? said Marcel rising.

--Ah, cried the former, Monsieur le Cure of Althausen, I think?

It was the Secretary, and he aspired, as may be remembered, to the envied post of curate at St. Nicholas. He thought to obtain the good graces of Ridoux by rendering a service to Marcel.

--Monseigneur is really too much engaged, said he, but I will obtain admittance for you anyhow.

And he made him go into a small apartment next to the Bishop's private cabinet.

--I will call you when it is time, he said to him and went out.

Marcel, left alone, heard the sound of a voice in Monseigneur's cabinet, and he recognized perfectly old Collard's.

He would have been failing in good clerical traditions, if he had not gently drawn near the door and listened with all his ears; struck with amazement, he heard the singular conversation which follows.

Lx.x.xV.

LITTLE PASTIMES.

"One thing which it is necessary to take into account, is that they are very precocious. A French girl of fifteen is as much developed as regards the s.e.x and love, as an English girl of eighteen. This is accounted for essentially by Catholic education and by the Confessional, which brings forward young girls to so great an extent."

MICHELET (_L'Amour_).

--Let us see, little one; look me right in the face. Madame de Montinisant has a.s.sured me that you were very nice, very sweet, very submissive, very modest, in fact ail the good qualities in the superlative, and that you were worthy of entering into the sisterhood of the Holy Virgin, in spite of your youth; is that quite true?

--Yes, Monseigneur.

--Ah, ah! It is true, do you say? I am going to know exactly, I am going to know if you are truthful or not. G.o.d has bestowed on Bishops the gift of divining everything. Did you know that?

--No, Monseigneur.

--Ah, ah! You are smiling; you believe perhaps that it is not true; wait, wait, you shall see indeed. Is it long since she made her first communion?

--Nearly two years, Monseigneur.

--Two years, ah, ah! Then the little girl is fourteen.

--Only thirteen, Monseigneur.

--Thirteen! thirteen! that is very nice. At thirteen one is already a grown-up girl. Are you already a grown-up girl, little rogue?

--I don't know.

--You don't know, ah, ah. We are going to see first, if you are modest.

Come close to me; see, little girl, give me your chin, and this pretty little dimple.... Oh, oh! you are laughing, stay, stay ... she has some pretty little dimples on her cheeks too, the little naughty thing. We are going to make a little confession.... Ah, you are blushing. Why are you blushing? You have then some great sins on your conscience? Come, you are going to tell me all that ... quite low ... in my ear.

--But, Monseigneur....

--There is no _but, Monseigneur_. It is the condition _sine qua non_ of entering the sisterhood. You understand that in order to admit a sheep into his flock, the shepherd must be completely edified regarding that fresh sheep.... The sheep then must relate all her wicked sins to her Bishop. It is G.o.d who wills it, it is not I, little girl. What enters by one ear, goes out directly by the other. I should be much puzzled, after the confession to repeat a single word of what you have told me. You know what a speaking-tube is.

--Yes, Monseigneur.

--Well, the Confessor's ear is the speaking-tube of the ear of G.o.d. Has not your Confessor taught you that?

--Oh, yes, Monseigneur.

--Well, then, we have nothing to be afraid of, and she must not hesitate to confide to us her little faults. Even were there very great sins, I shall hear them without making any remonstrance, for that will prove to me that you have confidence in your Bishop. Come, place yourself there, near me, on your knees. You have no need to recite your _Confiteor_; it is only an examination of conscience that we are both going to make. There! very well, put this little cushion under your knees, you will be less tired. See, where are we going to begin?

--One G.o.d only thou shalt adore...

No, no, that is unnecessary; I am fully persuaded that you love G.o.d and your parents with all your heart.

--The goods of others thou shalt not take...

Ta, ta, ta, I am quite aware that you are not a thief--a thief has not a pretty little face like that; let us go on at once to the sixth commandment:

The works of the flesh thou shalt not desire But in marriage only.

There, that is what moat concerns little girls. Do you know what are the works of the flesh?

--No, Monseigneur.

--Oh, it is something very abominable, and I do not know how to explain it to you. Nevertheless, in order to know if you have sinned against this commandment, I must make myself understood. Has not your Confessor already spoken to you about it?

--No, Monseigneur.