mischief! Come on, you scamp, since his reverence is afraid I might
dirty our Lord!'

On seeing the lad, Abbe Mouret had taken up the amice. He kissed the
cross embroidered in the centre of it, and for a second laid the cloth
upon his head; then lowering it over the collar-band of his cassock, he
crossed it and fastened the tapes, the right one over the left. He next
donned the alb, the symbol of purity, beginning with the right sleeve.
Vincent stooped and turned around him, adjusting the alb, in order that
it should fall evenly all round him to a couple of inches from the
ground. Then he presented the girdle to the priest, who fastened it
tightly round his loins, as a reminder of the bonds wherewith the
Saviour was bound in His Passion.

La Teuse remained standing there, feeling jealous and hurt and
struggling to keep silence; but so great was the itching of her tongue,
that she soon broke out once more: 'Brother Archangias has been here. He
won't have a single child at school to-day. He went off again like a
whirlwind to pull the brats' ears in the vineyards. You had better see
him. I believe he has got something to say to you.'

Abbe Mouret silenced her with a wave of the hand. Then he repeated the
usual prayers while he took the maniple--which he kissed before slipping
it over his left forearm, as a symbol of the practice of good works--and
while crossing on his breast the stole, the symbol of his dignity and
power. La Teuse had to help Vincent in the work of adjusting the
chasuble, which she fastened together with slender tapes, so that it
might not slip off behind.

'Holy Virgin! I had forgotten the cruets!' she stammered, rushing to the