She gave him an inspired look, which knocked, in the stony regions of his heart, on the corner closed to God.

But still the old deist held firm.

He said to himself: "Mummeries! if there be a maker of worlds, imagine the organizer of infinitude concerning himself with such trifles!" He laughed as he continued his walk along the heights which look down upon the road to the Gatinais, where the bells were ringing a joyous peal that told of the joy of families.
The noise of backgammon is intolerable to persons who do not know the game, which is really one of the most difficult that was ever invented.
Not to annoy his godchild, the extreme delicacy of whose organs and nerves could not bear, he thought, without injury the noise and the exclamations she did not know the meaning of, the abbe, old Jordy while living, and the doctor always waited till their child was in bed before they began their favorite game.

Sometimes the visitors came early when she was out for a walk, and the game would be going on when she returned; then she resigned herself with infinite grace and took her seat at the window with her work.

She had a repugnance to the game, which is really in the beginning very hard and unconquerable to some minds, so that unless it be learned in youth it is almost impossible to take it up in after life.
The night of her first communion, when Ursula came into the salon where her godfather was sitting alone, she put the backgammon-board before him.
"Whose throw shall it be ?" she asked.
"Ursula," said the doctor, "isn't it a sin to make fun of your godfather the day of your first communion ?" "I am not making fun of you," she said, sitting down.