Max Pemberton

“ Married while a mere child to the count, life had not scattered the bloom of her girlhood, nor awakened in her those instincts which might have been at once her safeguard and her peril. A wife but not a mother, she had something of the innocence of the maid and of the mind of the woman. The Abbé said to himself that no temptation could be found sufficiently strong to taint this innocence or break this will. He was only an utterly selfish man. ”

“ See how I make you my confidant, even going so far"—and here the Abbé bent over until his mouth was almost at Pepin's ear—"even going so far as to ask you what part people think I have played in bringing about madame's refusal to go to the palace."
Pepin scratched his head. "The Abbé is measuring his own neck," said he; "it will pay me to frighten him." And then he gave his answer.
"Corbleu! Monsieur l'Abbé", what's the good of hiding things. All the world knows why the king is refused. Your holy words—Mother of God! they moved even me." ”

“ Before him on the great carved oak table there were rough notes of a sermon he was to preach at the Mass on Sunday; by his side, a basin of Mocha coffee was steaming.
"Brethren, love one another," wrote the Abbé, and then he put his pen down. "She is not going to the palace," he thought, "because de Guyon has bungled it. The man is little better than a fool. I believe he is in love with her himself. Mother of God, if she were to marry again I should have no room here. That smooth-faced soldier would take a pipe in his hand and go playing to the sheep. ”