I trust you will so far honour me?"
"I know nothing of my future movements," answered the Cardinal
gently,--"But if I should again visit Rouen, I will certainly let
you know, and will, if you desire it, accept your friendly
hospitality."
With this, the two dignitaries shook hands and the Archbishop took
his leave. As he picked his way carefully down the rough stairs and
along the dingy little passage of the Hotel Poitiers, he was met by
Jean Patoux holding a lighted candle above his head to show him the
way.
"It is dark, Monseigneur," said Patoux apologetically.
"It is very dark," agreed Monseigneur, stumbling as he spoke, and
feeling rather inclined to indulge in very uncanonical language. "It
is altogether a miserable hole, mon Patoux!"
"It is for poor people only," returned Jean calmly--"And poverty is
not a crime, Monseigneur."
"No, it is not a crime," said the stately Churchman as he reached
the door at last, and paused for a moment on the threshold,--a broad
smile wrinkling up his fat cheeks and making comfortable creases
round his small eyes--"But it is an inconvenience!"
"Cardinal Bonpre does not say so," observed Patoux.
"Cardinal Bonpre is one of two things--a saint or a fool! Remember
that, mon Patoux! Bon soir! Benedicite!"
And the Archbishop, still smiling to himself, walked leisurely
across the square in the direction of his own house, where his
supper awaited him.
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