The priest, bathed in the voluptuous atmosphere that seemed to emanate from all that feminine ripeness, took a bitter pleasure in defying the caresses of her coral lips, the tempting smile of her eyes, the witching charm of her bosom, and all the intoxication which seemed to pour from her at every movement.  He even carried his temerity so far as to search with his gaze for the spots that he had once so hotly kissed, the corners of her eyes and lips, her narrow temples, soft as satin, and the ambery nape of her neck, which was like velvet.  And never, even in her embrace, had he tasted such felicity as he now felt in martyring himself, by boldly looking in the face the love that he refused.  At last, fearing lest he might there yield to some new allurement of the flesh, he dropped his eyes, and said, very gently: 

’I cannot hear you here.  Let us go out, if you, indeed, persist in adding to the pain of both of us.  Our presence in this place is a scandal.  We are in God’s house.’

‘God!’ cried Albine, excitedly, suddenly becoming a child of nature once more.  ’God!  Who is He?  I know nothing of your God!  I want to know nothing of Him if He has stolen you away from me, who have never harmed Him.  My uncle Jeanbernat was right then when he said that your God was only an invention to frighten people, and make them weep!  You are lying; you love me no longer, and that God of yours does not exist.’

‘You are in His house now,’ said Abbe Mouret, sternly.  ’You blaspheme.  With a breath He might turn you into dust.’

She laughed with proud disdain, and raised her hands as if to defy Heaven.

‘Ah! then,’ said she, ’you prefer your God to me.  You think He is stronger than I am, and you imagine that He will love you better than I did.  Oh! but you are a child, a foolish child.  Come, leave all this folly.  We will return to the garden together, and love each other, and be happy and free.  That, that is life!’

This time she succeeded in throwing an arm round his waist, and she tried to drag him away.  But he, quivering all over, freed himself from her embrace, and again took his stand against the altar.

‘Go away!’ he faltered.  ’If you still love me, go away. . . .  O Lord, pardon her, and pardon me too, for thus defiling this Thy house.  Should I go with her beyond the door, I might, perhaps, follow her.  Here, in Thy presence, I am strong.  Suffer that I may remain here, to protect Thee from insult.’

Albine remained silent for a moment.  Then, in a calm voice, she said: 

’Well, let us stay here, then.  I wish to speak to you.  You cannot, surely, be cruel.  You will understand me.  You will not let me go away alone.  Oh! do not begin to excuse yourself.  I will not lay my hands upon you again, since it distresses you.  I am quite calm now as you can see.  We will talk quietly, as we used to do in the old days when we lost our way, and did not hurry to find it again, that we might have the more time to talk together.’