human
Not at all, this solitude suits me perfectly.
gpt
Well, said the abbot, laughing,
human
Let us see, he said after a pause;
gpt
True, I feel the want of being able to light a cigarette whenever I like.
human
But I suppose you have not been entirely without smoking, since you came here?
gpt
I should tell a lie if I said I had not smoked in secret.
human
Why, bless me, tobacco was not foreseen by St. Benedict; there is no mention of it in his rule, and I am therefore free to allow its use; so smoke as many cigarettes as you like without being uneasy.
gpt
I hope shortly to have a little more time to myself, unless, indeed, I am obliged to keep my room, in that case I shall be happy to have a longer talk with you.
human
The Father Abbot is charming, and quite young.
gpt
He is hardly forty.
human
He appears to be really ill.
gpt
Yes, he is not well, and he required no common energy to say his mass this morning; but let us see, we will first of all visit the grounds of La Trappe which you can hardly have been over completely, then we will leave the enclosure and push on to the farm.