If Chéri could have been able to answer Gabriel, they would have asked if that was actually what God would call happiness and would have done so with no malice.

But unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, and even if he wasn’t a confessor, the priest there was Gabriel, not Chéri.

In seeing a new guest, Chéri turned his back to Gabriel and wasn’t able to read his expression before it was too late. They did not understand Francis’s question, but they had their own remark to make, “Oh, look, another one! You are not a priest, though.” They examined him, quietly, smiling warmly as usual, but without the added adoration they always included when it came to food. They turned again to Gabriel at his answer. Chéri manage not to snort, but couldn’t prevent themselves from saying “If you say so…” then pointed the milk jar to Francis: nothing more exciting than food.