But just at that moment the servant came into the room quite scared, and said:
--Who? what? said Durand; and turning towards me, Shall I receive him? Well, we shall have a laugh!
He was still undecided, when Marcel glided into the room.
"I will speak, Madame, with the liberty of a soldier who knows but ill how to varnish the truth."
The old soldier, upright, with his hand leaning on the back of his arm-chair, let the priest come forward with all the agreeableness of a mastiff which is making ready to bite.
The latter bowed gravely, and, although he felt himself to be in hostile quarters, took the seat offered him with an easy air.
Meanwhile his bearing and pleasant look produced their usual effect.
Imbued with the theories of the army, which of all surroundings is that in which one judges most by the appearance, where a good carriage is the first condition of success, where in fact they salute the stripes and not the man, the Captain was, in presence of this handsome young fellow, recalled to less aggressive sentiments.
--Hang it! he said to himself, what a splendid cuirassier this fellow would have made! What devil of an idea has shoved him into a cassock?
War being the most sublime of arts, as Maurice de Saxe remarked, there are few old officers who understand how a man can choose another profession by inclination.
--I come, Monsieur le Capitaine, said Marcel, to pay you my visit as pastor, although perhaps a little late. But you are aware doubtless that I have had the honour of knocking once already at your door.
--You should not have troubled yourself, my dear sir, and you should adhere to that; I belong so little to the holy flock.
--I owe myself to all, said Marcel smiling, to the bad sheep--I mean to the wandering sheep, just as to the good ones; to watch over the one, to bring back and cure the others.
--Oh! Oh! Well, sir shepherd, you are losing your time finely, for I am a worn-out goat.
--There will be more joys in heaven over one sinner that repenteth....
--That is the story of the 99 just persons that you are going to tell us; we know it, and, let me tell you, it is not encouraging for the 99 just persons.
The Curé, seeing himself on dangerous ground, hastened to leap elsewhere.