wished to become a deputy. But he played a far more useful and lofty partin governing behind the scenes, in acting as the directing mind of theVatican's policy in France. Was not France still the Eldest Daughter ofthe Church, the only great nation which might some day restoreomnipotence to the Papacy? For that reason he had accepted the Republic,preached the duty of "rallying" to it, and inspired the new Catholicgroup in the Chamber. And Monferrand, on his side, struck by the progressof the New Spirit, that reaction of mysticism which flattered itself thatit would bury science, showed the prelate much amiability, like astrong-handed man who, to ensure his own victory, utilised every forcethat was offered him.
IV. THE MAN HUNT
ON the afternoon of that same day such a keen desire for space and theopen air came upon Guillaume, that Pierre consented to accompany him on along walk in the Bois de Boulogne. The priest, upon returning from hisinterview with Monferrand, had informed his brother that the governmentonce more wished to get rid of Nicholas Barthes. However, they were soperplexed as to how they should impart these tidings to the old man, thatthey resolved to postpone the matter until the evening. During their walkthey might devise some means of breaking the news in a gentle way. As forthe walk, this seemed to offer no danger; to all appearance Guillaume wasin no wise threatened, so why should he continue hiding? Thus thebrothers sallied forth and entered the Bois by the Sablons gate, whichwas the nearest to them.
The last days of March had now come, and the trees were beginning to showsome greenery, so soft and light, however, that one might have thought itwas pale moss or delicate lace hanging between the stems and boughs.Although the sky remained of an ashen grey, the rain, after fallingthroughout the night and morning, had ceased; and exquisite freshnesspervaded that wood now awakening to life once more, with its foliagedripping in the mild and peaceful atmosphere. The mid-Lent rejoicings hadapparently attracted the populace to the centre of Paris, for in theavenues one found only the fashionable folks of select days, the peopleof society who come thither when the multitude stops away. There werecarriages and gentlemen on horseback; beautiful aristocratic ladies whohad alighted from their broughams or landaus; and wet-nurses withstreaming ribbons, who carried infants wearing the most costly lace. Ofthe middle-classes, however, one found only a few matrons living in theneighbourhood, who sat here and there on the benches busy with embroideryor watching their children play.
Pierre and Guillaume followed the Allee de Longchamp as far as the roadgoing from Madrid to the lakes. Then they took their way under the trees,alongside the little Longchamp rivulet. They wished to reach the lakes,pass round them, and return home by way of the Maillot gate. But socharming and peaceful was the deserted plantation through which theypassed, that they yielded to a desire to sit down and taste the delightof resting amidst all the budding springtide around them. A fallen treeserved them as a bench, and it was possible for them to fancy themselvesfar away from Paris, in the depths of some real forest. It was, too, of areal forest that Guillaume began to think on thus emerging from his long,
