hosties, wafers for consécration in the Mass

3. Langeais . . . Beauséant, not historical. The names recur frequently in Balzac.

4. Fiat YOluntas (Latin), Thy will be done, and Hosanna were \atural words of récognition at this time for the Catholic clergy

p. 161-168] NOTES 205

and royalists. A decree of November 27, 1790, had demanded of the Roman clergy an oath of allegiance to the Constitution. Forty thousand refused and were banished by the decree of August 26, 1792. Some still ministered secretly to the faithful at the risk and often the loss of their lives. Mortal danger ceased with the fall of Robespierre, July 27, 1794, but the Christian religion which had been off icially abolished in November, 1 793, was not off icially reëstablished till April, 1802.

Page 161« — I. grilles, convint gratings. Allusion to the abolition of the convents in 1790.

Page 162. — i. relique, relie of some saint, as employed in Catholic dévotion.

Page 168. — i. assermenté. Clergy who took the oath to the Constitution demanded November 27, 1790, were called assetmentés, They were forbidden to take it by the Pope, April 13, 1791. See page 160, note 4.

Page 164. — i. bréviaire, breviary^ a. Roman Catholic prayer book, used chiefly by priests and members of religions orders.

Page 165* — i. terre sainte, eonsecrated ground, The allusion is to the fact that the body of Louis XVI was dissolved by quicklime after his exécution.

Page 166. — i. habits pontificaux, eueharisHe vestments, 2. coin de Pautel. When Mass is begun the Missal is at the lef t end of the altar. It is moved to the right when the Gospel is read and retumed shortly before the close of the service. *

Page 167. — i. pures de sang. During the ritual washing of hands at the Mass the priest says in Latin : " I will wash my hands among the innocents and so will I go about Thine altar.** (Cp. Psalm xxvi, 6.) To this the text alludes.