I feel sure
that Horace is the next best thing to the Homilies:

"'Teretesque suras laudo, et integer ego!'"

The Chevalier La Corne pinched the shrugging shoulder of Hortense as he
remarked, "Don't confess to Father de Berey that you promenade on the
cape! But I hope Pierre Philibert will soon make his choice! We are
impatient to visit him and give old Provencal the butler a run every
day through those dark crypts of his, where lie entombed the choicest
vintages of sunny France."

The Chevalier said this waggishly, for the benefit of old Provencal, who
stood behind his chair looking half alarmed at the threatened raid upon
his well-filled cellars.

"But if Pierre should not commit matrimony," replied Hortense, "what
will become of him? and especially what will become of us?"

"We will drink his wine all the same, good fellow that he is! But Pierre
had as lief commit suicide as not commit matrimony; and who would not?
Look here, Pierre Philibert," continued the old soldier, addressing him,
with good-humored freedom. "Matrimony is clearly your duty, Pierre;
but I need not tell you so: it is written on your face plain as the way
between Peronne and St. Quintin,--a good, honest way as ever was trod
by shoe leather, and as old as Chinon in Touraine! Try it soon, my boy.
Quebec is a sack full of pearls!" Hortense pulled him mischievously
by the coat, so he caught her hand and held it fast in his, while he
proceeded: "You put your hand in the sack and take out the first that
offers. It will be worth a Jew's ransom! If you are lucky to find the
fairest, trust me it will be the identical pearl of great price for
which the merchant went and sold all that he had and bought it. Is not
that Gospel, Father de Berey? I think I have heard something like that
preached from the pulpit of the Recollets?"

"Matter of brimborion, Chevalier! not to be questioned by laymen! Words
of wisdom for my poor brothers of St. Francis, who, after renouncing the
world, like to know that they have renounced something worth having!
But not to preach a sermon on your parable, Chevalier, I will
promise Colonel Philibert that when he has found the pearl of great
price,"--Father de Berey, who knew a world of secrets, glanced archly at
Amelie as he said this,--"the bells of our monastery shall ring out such
a merry peal as they have not rung since fat Brother Le Gros broke his
wind, and short Brother Bref stretched himself out half a yard pulli