When morning came she was silent. They thought she had fallen asleep. She was dead too. CHAPTER XXXII WHICH DESCRIBES HOW NECTAIRE'S FLUTE WAS HEARD IN THE TAVERN OF CLODOMIR Madame de la Verdelière having failed to force an _entrée_ as sick-nurse, returned after several days had elapsed,--during the absence of Madame des Aubels,--to ask Maurice d'Esparvieu for his subscription to the French churches. Arcade led her to the bedside of the convalescent. Maurice whispered in the angel's ear: "Traitor, deliver me from this ogress immediately, or you will be answerable for the evil which will soon befall." "Be calm," said Arcade, with a confident air. After the conventional complimentary flourishes, Madame de la Verdelière signed to Maurice to dismiss the angel. Maurice feigned not to understand. And Madame de la Verdelière disclosed the ostensible reason of her visit. "Our churches," she said, "our beloved country churches,--what is to become of them?" Arcade gazed at her angelically and sighed. "They will disappear, Madame; they will fall into ruin. And what a pity! I shall be inconsolable. The church amid the villagers' cottages is like the hen amidst her chickens." "Just so!" exclaimed Madame de la Verdelière with a delighted smile. "It is just like that." "And the spires, Madame?" "Oh, Monsieur, the spires!..." "Yes, the spires, Madame, that stick up into the skies towards the little Cherubim, like so many syringes." Madame de la Verdelière incontinently left the place. That same day Monsieur l'Abbé Patouille came to offer the wounded man good counsel and consolation. He exhorted him to break with his bad companions and to be reconciled to his family. He drew a picture of the sorrowful father, the mother in tears, ready to receive their long-lost child with open arms. Renouncing with manly effort a life of profligacy and deluding joys, Maurice would recover his peace and strength of mind, he would free himself from devouring chimeras, and shake off the Evil Spirit. Young d'Esparvieu thanked Abbé Patouille for all his kindness, and made a protestation of his religious feelings. "Never," said he, "have I had such faith. And never have I been in such need of it. Just imagine, Monsieur l'Abbé, I have to teach my guardian angel his catechism all over again, for he has quite forgotten it!" Monsieur l'Abbé Patouille heaved a deep sigh, and exhorted his dear child to pray, there being no other resource but prayer for a soul assailed by the Devil. "Monsieur l'Abbé," asked Maurice, "may I introduce my guardian angel to you? Do stay a moment; he has gone to get me some cigarettes." "Unhappy child!"