"Yet," Homais went on, "one of two things; either she died in a state of

grace (as the Church has it), and then she has no need of our prayers;

or else she departed impertinent (that is, I believe, the ecclesiastical

expression), and then--"

Bournisien interrupted him, replying testily that it was none the less

necessary to pray.

"But," objected the chemist, "since God knows all our needs, what can be

the good of prayer?"

"What!" cried the ecclesiastic, "prayer! Why, aren't you a Christian?"

"Excuse me," said Homais; "I admire Christianity. To begin with, it

enfranchised the slaves, introduced into the world a morality--"

"That isn't the question. All the texts-"

"Oh! oh! As to texts, look at history; it, is known that all the texts

have been falsified by the Jesuits."

Charles came in, and advancing towards the bed, slowly drew the

curtains.

Emma's head was turned towards her right shoulder, the corner of her

mouth, which was open, seemed like a black hole at the lower part of her

face; her two thumbs were bent into the palms of her hands; a kind

of white dust besprinkled her lashes, and her eyes were beginning to

disappear in that viscous pallor that looks like a thin web, as if

spiders had spun it over. The sheet sunk in from her breast to her

knees, and then rose at the tips of her toes, and it seemed to Charles

that infinite masses, an enormous load, were weighing upon her.

The church clock struck two. They could hear the loud murmur of the

river flowing in the darkness at the foot of the terrace. Monsieur

Bournisien from time to time blew his nose noisily, and Homais' pen was

scratching over the paper.

"Come, my good friend," he said, "withdraw; this spectacle is tearing

you to pieces."

Charles once gone, the chemist and the cure recommenced their

discussions.

"Read Voltaire," said the one, "read D'Holbach, read the

'Encyclopaedia'!"

"Read the 'Letters of some Portuguese Jews,'" said the other; "read 'The

Meaning of Christianity,' by Nicolas, formerly a magistrate."

They grew warm, they grew red, they both talked at once without

listening to each other. Bournisien was scandalized at such audacity;

Homais marvelled at such stupidity; and they were on the point of

insulting one another when Charles suddenly reappeared. A fascination

drew him. He was continually coming upstairs.

He stood opposite her, the better to see her, and he lost himself in a

contemplation so deep that it was no longer painful.




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