t, finding that it has won
him that advantage," said the bishop, interrupting his favorite.
"Messieurs," he said, after a moment's silence, "does the whole town
know of these details?"

"There is not a household in which they are not talked over," said the
Abbe de Grancour. "The state in which our good Abbe Pascal was put by
his last efforts is the present topic of conversation throughout the
town."

"When is Tascheron to be executed?" asked the bishop.

"To-morrow, which is market-day;" replied Monsieur de Grancour.

"Messieurs," exclaimed the bishop, "religion must not be overset in this
way. The more public attention is attracted to the matter, the more I am
determined to obtain a notable triumph. The Church is now in presence
of a great difficulty. We are called upon to do miracles in this
manufacturing town, where the spirit of sedition against religious and
monarchical principles has such deep root, where the system of inquiry
born of protestantism (which in these days calls itself liberalism,
prepared at any moment to take another name) extends into everything. Go
at once to Monsieur de Grandville; he is wholly on our side, and say to
him from me that we beg for a few days' reprieve. I will go myself and
see that unhappy man."

"You, Monseigneur!" said the Abbe de Rastignac. "If you should fail,
wouldn't that complicate matters? You ought not to go unless you are
certain of success."

"If Monseigneur will permit me to express my opinion," said the Abbe
Dutheil, "I think I can suggest a means which may bring victory to
religion in this sad case."

The prelate answered with a sign of assent, so coldly given as to show
how little credit he gave to his vicar-general.

"If any one can influence that rebellious soul and bring it back to
God," continued the Abbe Dutheil, "it is the rector of the village in
which he was born, Monsieur Bonnet."

"One of your proteges," remarked the bishop.

"Monseigneur, Monsieur Bonnet is one of those men who protect
themselves, both by their active virtues and their gospel work."

This simple and modest reply was received in a silence which would have
embarrassed any other man than the Abbe Dutheil. The three priests chose
to see in it one of those hidden and unanswerable sarcasms which are
characteristic of ecclesiastics, who contrive to express what they want
to say while observing the strictest decorum. In this case there was
nothing of the kind. The Abbe Dutheil never