And one day, at La Trinite, Pierre had surprised her secret, on seeing her behind the church exchanging a few hasty words with a well-groomed, distinguished-looking man.
The priest's sudden appearance in the refreshment-room had somewhat disconcerted Madame Volmar.
"What an unexpected meeting, Monsieur l'Abbe!" she said, offering him her long, warm hand.

"What a long time it is since I last saw you!" And thereupon she explained that this was the third year she had gone to Lourdes, her mother-in-law having required her to join the Association of Our Lady of Salvation.

"It is surprising that you did not see her at the station when we started," she added.

"She sees me into the train and comes to meet me on my return." This was said in an apparently simple way, but with such a subtle touch of irony that Pierre fancied he could guess the truth.

He knew that she really had no religious principles at all, and that she merely followed the rites and ceremonies of the Church in order that she might now and again obtain an hour's freedom; and all at once he intuitively realised that someone must be waiting for her yonder, that it was for the purpose of meeting him that she was thus hastening to Lourdes with her shrinking yet ardent air and flaming eyes, which she so prudently shrouded with a veil of lifeless indifference.
"For my part," he answered, "I am accompanying a friend of my childhood, a poor girl who is very ill indeed.