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He was convinced that, whatever part Rene Drucquer had attempted to play in the past, he was sincere at that moment, and he divined that the young Jesuit was weakly giving way to a sudden desire to speak to some fellow-being of his own life to lay aside the strict reserve demanded by the tenets of the Society to which he was irrevocably bound.
It was a repetition of his words, given in such a manner that had the speaker been a man of subtle tongue it would have implied grave doubt. Christian was somewhat surprised that Rene Drucquer should have attained his object so quickly.
Ignatius might have lived a true and manly life three hundred years earlier when his master trod the earth, but the march of intellect had trodden down the "Constitutions" years before Rene Drucquer came to study them.
He was in the dress of a Probationer of the Society of Jesus, which he had assumed at the request, hesitatingly made, of Rene Drucquer, and for the very practical reason that he had nothing else to wear except a torn dress-coat and Hoel Grall's Sunday garments. "Bless me, mon pere," lisped the little one, stopping in front of him.
The only lamp in the room, which was long and narrow, stood on the table before him, so that the light of it was reflected from his sleek black head disfigured by a tiny tonsure. As Rene Drucquer advanced up the room, the occupant raised his head slightly, but made no attempt to turn round.
When he found himself alone with the Englishman, Rene Drucquer sat wearily upon a small wooden bench, the only form of seat provided, and leaned his narrow face upon his hands. The prospect that he saw before him as he sat staring vacantly at the floor of the little cell was black enough.
He felt the Englishman's pulse and watched his ashen face for some moments, touching the clammy forehead softly, while Rene Drucquer stood by with a great sickening weight of remorse and fear upon his heart. Then the sub-prior knelt stiffly down, and placed his clean-shaven lips near to Christian's ear. "My son," he said, "do you hear me?"
He had turned away to call Grall towards him, and was about to move towards the body lying on the hatch, when the priest called him back. "Monsieur," he said. "Yes." "Tell me," continued Rene Drucquer quickly, as if in doubt, "are you Christian Vellacott?" "Of course!"
Of religion, our Order, politics, himself and his captivity?" "Of none of those." The Provincial leant back suddenly in his chair, and for some minutes complete silence reigned in the room. He was evidently thinking deeply, and his eyes were fixed upon the open book with inscrutable immobility. Once he glanced slowly towards Rene Drucquer, who sat with downcast eyes and interlocked fingers.
Rene Drucquer and himself were invited to enter the roomy vehicle, and by the way in which the door shut he divined that it was locked by a spring. At the village post-office the carriage stopped, and, one of the servants having opened the door, the priest descended and passed into the little bureau.
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