Of all men in the world he most admired the Cure, for his utter truth and nobility; but he could not help smiling at his enthusiasm--his dear Cure turned evangelist like any "Methody"!--and at the appeal of the Notary on the ground of knowledge of the world.

He was wise enough to count himself an old fogy, a provincial, and "a simon-pure habitant," but of the three he only had any knowledge of life.

As men of the world the Cure and the Notary were sad failures, though they stood for much in Chaudiere.

Yet this detracted nothing from the fine gentlemanliness of the Cure or the melodramatic courtesy of the Notary.
Amused and touched as the Seigneur had been at the Cure's words, he turned now and said: "Always on the weaker side, Cure; always hoping the best from the worst of us." "I am only following an example at my door--you taught us all charity and justice," answered M.Loisel, looking meaningly at the Seigneur.
There was silence a little while, for all three were thinking of the woman of the hut, at the gate of the Seigneur's manor.
On this topic M.Dauphin was not voluble.

His original kindness to the woman had given him many troubled hours at home, for Madame Dauphin had construed his human sympathy into the dark and carnal desires of the heart, and his truthful eloquence had made his case the worse.