ssor, Pere Denys, a Franciscan, consulting both
alternately, and confiding his conscientious scruples to them. Every
penance appeared too easy, and he added to those enjoined by his
directors continual mortifications of his own devising, so that even
Tartufe himself would have owned his superiority.

He wore about him two shrouds, to which were fastened relics of Madame
de Chantal, also a medal of St. Francois de Saps, and occasionally
scourged himself. His mistress related that he had begged her to take
a sitting at the church of St. Nicholas, in order that he might more
easily attend service when he had a day out, and had brought her a small
sum which he had saved, to pay half the expense.

Moreover, he had slept upon straw during the whole of Lent, and took
care that Madame Legrand heard of this through the servant, pretending
at first to hide it as if it were something wrong. He tried to prevent
the maid from going into his room, and when she found out the straw
he forbade her to mention it--which naturally made her more anxious
to relate her discovery. Such a piece of piety, combined with such
meritorious humility, such dread of publicity, could only increase the
excellent opinion which everyone already had of him.

Every day was marked by some fresh hypocrisy. One of his sisters, a
novice in the convent of the Ladies of the Visitation of the Virgin, was
to take the veil at Easter. Derues obtained permission to be present at
the ceremony, and was to start on foot on Good Friday. When he
departed, the shop happened to be full of people, and the gossips of the
neighbourhood inquired where he was going. Madame Legrand desired him
to have a glass of liqueur (wine he never touched) and something to eat
before starting.

"Oh, madame!" he exclaimed, "do you think I could eat on a day like
this, the day on which Christ was crucified! I will take a piece of
bread with me, but I shall only eat it at the inn where I intend to
sleep: I mean to fast the whole way."

But this kind of thing was not sufficient. He wanted an opportunity to
establish a reputation for honesty on a firm basis. Chance provided one,
and he seized it immediately, although at the expense of a member of his
own family.

One of his brothers, who kept a public-house at Chartres, came to see
him. Derues, under pretence of showing him the sights of Paris, which he
did not know, asked his mistress to allow him to take in the brother for
a few days, which