Ah! if it were not for the Contessina, but she's so good and beautiful." Then, whilst placing a dish of figs on the table, she astonished Pierre by adding that a city where nearly everybody was a priest could not possibly be a good city.

Thereupon the presence of this gay, active, unbelieving servant in the queer old palace again scared him.
"What! you are not religious ?" he exclaimed.
"No, no, Monsieur l'Abbe, the priests don't suit me," said Victorine; "I knew one in France when I was very little, and since I've been here I've seen too many of them.

It's all over.

Oh! I don't say that on account of his Eminence, who is a holy man worthy of all possible respect.

And besides, everybody in the house knows that I've nothing to reproach myself with.