d been entirely
unconnected with each other, and had each struggled for his own
individual ends. Urbain's enemies, believing that the cause of his
success was to be found in the want of cooperation among themselves, now
determined to unite in order to crush him. In consequence, a conference
was held at Barot's, at which, besides Barot himself, Meunier, Trinquant,
and Mignon took part, and the latter had also brought with him one
Menuau, a king's counsel and his own most intimate friend, who was,
however, influenced by other motives than friendship in joining the
conspiracy. The fact was, that Menuau was in love with a woman who had
steadfastly refused to show him any favour, and he had got firmly fixed
in his head that the reason for her else inexplicable indifference and
disdain was that Urbain had been beforehand with him in finding an
entrance to her heart. The object of the meeting was to agree as to the
best means of driving the common enemy out of Loudon and its
neighbourhood.

Urbain's life was so well ordered that it presented little which his
enemies could use as a handle for their purpose. His only foible seemed
to be a predilection for female society; while in return all the wives
and daughters of the place, with the unerring instinct of their sex,
seeing, that the new priest was young, handsome, and eloquent, chose him,
whenever it was possible, as their spiritual director. As this
preference had already offended many husbands and fathers, the decision
the conspirators arrived at was that on this side alone was Grandier
vulnerable, and that their only chance of success was to attack him where
he was weakest. Almost at once, therefore, the vague reports which had
been floating about began to attain a certain definiteness: there were
allusions made, though no name was mentioned, to a young girl in Loudun;
who in spite of Grandier's frequent unfaithfulness yet remained his
mistress-in-chief; then it began to be whispered that the young girl,
having had conscientious scruples about her love for Urbain, he had
allayed them by an act of sacrilege--that is to say, he had, as priest,
in the middle of the night, performed the service of marriage between
himself and his mistress. The more absurd the reports, the more credence
did they gain, and it was not long till everyone in Loudun believed them
true, although no one was able to name the mysterious heroine of the tale
who had had the courage to contract a ma