‘Père José,’ resumed I, ‘a young lady and myself, who have just arrived here with weary horses, stand in need of your kind assistance.’ Here he pressed my hand gently, as if to assure me I was not mistaken in my man, and I went on: ‘We must reach Rochepied to-night; now, will you try and assist us at this conjuncture? We are complete strangers.’ ‘Enough, enough!’ said he. ‘I’m sorry you are constrained for time. This is a sweet little place for a few days’ sojourn. But if,’ said he, ‘it can’t be, you shall have every aid in my power. I ‘ll send off to Poil de Vache for his mule and car. You don’t mind a little shaking?’ said he, smiling. ‘It’s no time to be fastidious, _père_, and the lady is an excellent traveller.’ ‘The mule is a good beast, and will bring you in three hours, or even less.’ So saying, he sat down and wrote a few lines on a scrap of paper, with which he despatched a boy from the inn, telling him to make every haste. ‘And now monsieur, may I be permitted to pay my respects to mademoiselle?’ ‘Most certainly, Père José; she will be but too happy to add her thanks to mine for what you have done for us.’ ‘Say rather, for what I am about to do,’ said he, smiling. ‘The will is half the deed, father.’ ‘A good adage, and an old,’ replied he, while he proceeded to arrange his drapery, and make himself as presentable as the nature of his costume would admit. ‘This was a rapid business of yours,’ said he, as he smoothed down his few locks at the back of his head. ‘That it was, _père_--a regular runaway.’ ‘I guessed as much,’ said he. ‘I said so, the moment I saw you at the ferry.’ The _père_ is no bad judge of horse-flesh, thought I, to detect the condition of our beasts at that distance. ‘“There’s something for me,” said I to Madame Guyon. “Look yonder! See how their cattle are blowing! They’ve lost no time, and neither will I.” And with that I put on my gown and came up here.’ ‘How considerate of you, _père_; you saw we should need your help.’ ‘Of course I did,’ said he, chuckling. ‘Of course I did. Old Grégoire, here, is so stupid and so indolent that I have to keep a sharp lookout myself. But he’s the _maire_, and one can’t quarrel with him.’ ‘Very true,’ said I. ‘A functionary has a hundred opportunities of doing civil things, or the reverse.’ ‘That’s exactly the case,’ said the _père_. ‘Without him we should have no law on our side. It would be all _sous la cheminée_, as they say.’ The expression was new to me, and I imagined the good priest to mean, that without the magistrature, respect for the laws might as well be ‘up the chimney.’ ‘And now, if you will allow me, we ‘ll pay our duty to the lady,’ said the Père José, when he had completed his toilette to his satisfaction. When the ceremonial of presenting the _père_ was over I informed Laura of his great kindness in our behalf, and the trouble he had taken to provide us with an equipage.