Chapter 5 Summary

The priest suffers with uncertainty following his encounter with Mlle Chantal. He wonders if he did the right thing by letting her go without questioning her further about the situation that had upset her so. The priest feels tormented by his inability to pray and believes he ought to surrender his parish and deem himself no longer able to lead a parish. Later, the priest throws the letter he took from Mlle Chantal into the fire.

At his earliest convenience, the priest pays a visit to the Château. Although he still feels unsure of himself, he decides to talk to Mme la Comte about her daughter. After a brief discussion of whether or not the priest has the right to speak to Mme la Comtesse about her daughter, the priest accuses the lady of not loving her daughter. Mme la Comtesse says...