ame Magloire understood the remark, went out without saying a word, and a moment later the three sets of silver forks and spoons demanded by the Bishop were glittering upon the cloth, symmetrically arranged before the three persons seated at the table.
BOOK SECOND--THE FALL
CHAPTER IV
DETAILS CONCERNING THE CHEESE-DAIRIES OF PONTARLIER.
Now, in order to convey an idea of what passed at that table, we cannot do better than to transcribe here a passage from one of Mademoiselle Baptistine''s letters to Madame Boischevron, wherein the conversation between the convict and the Bishop is described with ingenious minuteness.
". . . This man paid no attention to any one.
He ate with the voracity of a starving man.
However, after supper he said:
"`Monsieur le Cure of the good God, all this is far too good for me; but I must say that the carters who would not allow me to eat with them keep a better table than you do.''
"Between ourselves, the remark rather shocked me.
My brother replied:--
"`They are more fatigued than I.''
"`No,'' returned the man, `they have more money.
You are poor; I see that plainly.
You cannot be even a curate.
Are you really a cure?
Ah, if the good God were but just, you certainly ought to be a cure!''
"`The good God is more than just,'' said my brother.