room, the house, the quarter of the town.

Madame de la Chanterie admitted the justice of Godefroid's
observations; but told him that she did not wish to make any change
until she knew the intentions of her lodger, or rather her boarder. If
he would conform to the customs of the house he could become her
boarder; but these customs were widely different from those of Paris.
Life in the rue Chanoinesse was like provincial life: the lodger must
always be in by ten o'clock at night; they disliked noise; and could
have no women or children to break up their customary habits. An
ecclesiastic might conform to these ways. Madame de la Chanterie
desired, above all, some one of simple life, who would not be
exacting; she could afford to put only the strictest necessaries into
the apartment. Monsieur Alain (here she designated one of the four men
present) was satisfied, and she would do for a new tenant just as she
did for the others.

"I do not think," said the priest, "that monsieur is inclined to enter
our convent."

"Eh! why not?" said Monsieur Alain; "we are all well off here; we have
nothing to complain of."

"Madame," said Godefroid, rising, "I shall have the honor of calling
again to-morrow."

Though he was a young man, the four old men and Madame de la Chanterie
rose, and the vicar accompanied him to the portico. A whistle sounded.
At that signal the porter came with a lantern, guided Godefroid to the
street, and closed behind him the enormous yellow door,--ponderous as