n be coming down so late?' he muttered.

But the priest, who neither saw nor heard anything, was now, in his
turn, anxious to press on.

'Stay! stay! there he is,' eagerly added Brother Archangias. 'He has
just turned the corner. See! he is in the moonlight now. One can see him
plainly. It is a tall man, with a stick.'

Then, after a moment's silence, he resumed, in a voice husky with fury:
'It is he, that beggar! I felt sure it was!'

Thereupon, the new-comer having now reached the bottom of the hill, Abbe
Mouret saw that it was Jeanbernat. In spite of his eighty years, the old
man set his feet down with such force, that his heavy, nailed boots
sent sparks flying from the flints on the road. And he walked along as
upright as an oak, without the aid of his stick, which he carried across
his shoulder like a musket.

'Ah! the villain!' stammered the Brother, still standing motionless.
'May the fiend light all the blazes of hell under his feet!'

The priest, who felt greatly disturbed, and despaired of inducing his
companion to come on, turned round to continue his journey, hoping that,
by a quick walk to the Bambousses' house, he might yet manage to avoid
Jeanbernat. But he had not taken five strides before he heard the
bantering voice of the old man close behind him.

'Hie! Cure! wait for me. Are you afraid of me?'

And as Abbe Mouret stopped, he came up and continued: 'Ah! those
cassocks of yours are tiresome things, aren't they? They prevent your
getting along too quickly. It's such a fine clear night, too, that one
can recognise you by your gown a long way off. When I was right at the
top of the hill, I said to myself, "Surely that is the little priest
down yonder." Oh! yes, I still have very good eyes.... Well, so you
never come to see us now?'

'I have had so much to do,' murmured the priest, who had turned very
pale.

'Well, well, every one's free to please himself. If I've mentioned the
matter, it's only because I want you to know that I don't bear you any
grudge for being a priest. We wouldn't even talk about your religion,
it's all one and the same to me. But the little one thinks that it's I
who prevents your coming. I said to her, "The priest is an idiot," and
I think so, indeed. Did I try to eat you during your illness? Why, I
didn't even go upstairs to see you. Every one's free, you know.'

He spoke on in the most unconcerned manner, pretending that he did not
notice the presence of Brother Arch