He had kept one letter in his hand and inquired of the landlord, "Have you a Madame Maze here ?" "Madame Maze, Madame Maze," repeated the hotel-keeper.

"No, no, certainly not." Pierre had heard both question and answer, and drawing near he exclaimed, "I know of a Madame Maze who must be lodging with the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, the Blue Sisters as people call them here, I think." The postman thanked him for the information and went off, but a somewhat bitter smile had risen to Majeste's lips.

"The Blue Sisters," he muttered, "ah! the Blue Sisters." Then, darting a side glance at Pierre's cassock, he stopped short, as though he feared that he might say too much.

Yet his heart was overflowing; he would have greatly liked to ease his feelings, and this young priest from Paris, who looked so liberal-minded, could not be one of the "band" as he called all those who discharged functions at the Grotto and coined money out of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Accordingly, little by little, he ventured to speak out.
"I am a good Christian, I assure you, Monsieur l'Abbe," said he.