and less wishful to take an active interest in events
which transpired in the outer world, or indeed within
his own limited parish.
It had not always been so with the Cure. When he
had first arrived at Saint Loup he had had quite a
crop of political opinions. The Royalist intrigue of
Marshal MacMahon, had found in him an ardent
supporter. And again, when in 1886 Boulanger spread
his Chauvinistic doctrines, the Cure had preached
Chauvinism from his pulpit —for this man was a
fanatical patriot despite his retiring disposition. But
try as he might, he had never succeeded in rousing
the members of his little flock to more than a fleeting
enthusiasm. Whatever the temper of adjacent coast-
towns, the inhabitants of the town of Saint Loup
seemed to lack the political disposition. They
remained indifferent to governments so long as there
was no undue taxation which affected their particular
industries, the chief of which were vine growing and
fishing. For they argued that the sun shone impartially
on the just as on the unjust politician; that the vines
grew ripe and gave forth their grapes, which in turn
found their profitable way to the presses; that the
wine was good, cheap, and near at hand, and that
so, for the matter of that, were the fishes; and that since
everybody was well content, governmental disputes
were none of their business. Thus, reluctantly — very
reluctantly at first — the Cure had abandoned political
opinions, for what was the good of provocative speech
when nobody troubled to contradict you? As time
went on he lived only for his books, caring less and less
about his personal appearance, allowing his once
strong teeth to decay rather than exert himself to go
to the dentist; spilling his onion soup down his soutane
and not always troubling to wash off the stains, any
more than he troubled to shave every morning; while
his mind, except when focused on the page of some
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