good thing of it to-day. That is my opinion. The religion? Well, they
will not go to mass, and that will be a grief to you, that is only
natural; but they will send you money, plenty of money, and you will take
it, and you will be quite right in doing so. You will see that you will
not say no. There will be gold raining over the whole place; a movement,
a bustle, carriages with four horses, postilions, powdered footmen, paper
chases, hunting parties, balls, fireworks, and here in this very spot I
shall perhaps find Paris again before long. I shall see once more the
two riders, and the two little grooms of whom I was speaking just now.
If you only knew how well those two sisters look on horseback! One
morning I went right round the Bois de Boulogne behind them; I fancy I
can see them still. They had high hats, and little black veils drawn
very tightly over their faces, and long riding-habits made in the
princess form, with a single seam right down the back; and a woman must
be awfully well made to wear a riding-habit like that, because you see,
Monsieur l'Abbe, with a habit of that cut no deception is possible."

For some moments the Cure had not been listening to Paul's discourse.
They had entered a long, perfectly straight avenue, and at the end of
this avenue the Cure saw a horseman galloping along.

"Look," said the Cure to Paul, "your eyes are better than mine. Is not
that Jean?"

"Yes, it is jean. I know his gray mare."

Paul loved horses, and before looking at the rider looked at the horse.
It was indeed Jean, who, when he saw in the distance the Cure and Paul
de Lavardens, waved in the air his kepi adorned with two golden stripes.
Jean was lieutenant in the regiment of artillery quartered at Souvigny.