Reynaud thinks that the nurses show faux respect and laugh behind his back, like his congregation. Meanwhile, Caro is excited about the anti-chocolate petition. He rebukes her, wanting discretion. He feels love for his flock, who are stupid but need him. He dislikes the statue of St. Francis, his namesake, who is cheerful and plump, unlike St. Jerome.

Muscat is absent from church. Reynaud visited his café recently, finding it dirty and empty. Muscat was drunk, self-pitying, and threatening toward Josephine and Vianne. Reynaud told him to keep away from them. Now, Reynaud looks for Muscat. He goes to the café, where a crowd is gathered. Caro giddily tells him that Muscat has got Josephine in the upper room. Screaming, abuse, and crashing are heard. Reynaud wonders if Caro also feels a horrible thrill at violence. He has a vivid flashback to his horror at finding his père and his mother having sex in the chancery. Shortly before, he had set the houseboats on fire. No one suspected such an obedient boy, instead cold-shouldering the Muscats for a time. He reveals that two people died in the fire; his père comforted him that they were worthless anyway and that it may have been God’s plan.