anon from
another diocese was not looked upon with indifferent eyes by the clergy
of Chartres. Such suspicions with regard to an unknown priest brought by
a new Bishop are not after all unnatural; it is inevitably feared that
he may play the part of a ruler without a robe; each one is on his
guard, and they sift his least word and pick over his least action."

"And then," said Durtal, "is it not another mouth to feed out of the
wretched pittance allowed by the State?"

"So far as that goes, no. I draw no stipend, and damage no man's
interest; in fact I would not accept it. The only pecuniary advantage I
derive from being about the Bishop's person is that I have no rent to
pay, since I am lodged for nothing in the episcopal building.

"I could not in any case have drawn a stipend, for the allowance granted
to Canons by the Government has ceased to be given, since a measure was
passed, on March 22nd, 1885, decreeing the suppression of such
emoluments as the incumbents died off. Hence only those who held such
benefices before the passing of the law now draw on the funds devoted to
the maintenance of the Church; and they are dying off one by one, so
that the time is fast approaching when there will not be a single Canon
left who is salaried by the State. In some dioceses these lapsed
benefices are compensated for by the revenues from some religious
foundation, or, as you may call it, a prebend. But there are none at
Chartres. The Chapter has at the utmost the use of a varying income
which it divides among those who have no benefice, giving them, good
years with bad, a sum of about three hundred francs each, and that is
all."

"And the Canons have no perquisites?"

"None whatever."

"Then I wonder how they live."

"If they have no private fortune they live more penuriously than the
poorest labourers in Chartres. Most of them simply vegetate; some
perform Mass for Sisterhoods, or are convent chaplains, but that brings
in very little, two hundred or two hundred and fifty francs perhaps.
Another holds the post of secretary to the diocese, by which he gets
rooms and as much, perhaps, as six hundred francs. Yet another conducts
the services of the holy week known as the Voice of Our Lady of
Chartres, and acts as precentor; and some find employment as the
Bishop's officials. Each one, in short, has a struggle to earn his food
and lodging."

"What exactly is a Canon; what are his functions, and the origin of his
office?"