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           SoRalphwouldsoonseethattolivewithherwasfarbetterthanlivingonhisown;forithadnotdawneduponherthatRalph’spriesthoodwassomethinghecouldnotabandonunderanycircumstances.Yes,sheknewitwasforbiddentohaveapriestashusbandorlover,butshehadgotintothehabitofgettingarounditbystrippingRalphofhisreligiousoffice.HerformaleducationinCatholicismhadneveradvancedtodiscussionsofthenatureofpriestlyvows,andshewasnotherselfinneedofreligion,sodidn’tpursueitvoluntarily.Obtainingnosatisfactionfrompraying,MeggieobeyedthelawsoftheChurchsimplybecausenottodosomeantburninginHellthroughouteternity.

           Inherpresentdaydreamsherambledthroughtheblissoflivingwithhimandsleepingwithhim,asDaddydidwithMum.Thenthethoughtofhisnearnessexcitedher,madehershiftinthesaddlerestlessly;shetranslateditintoadelugeofkisses,havingnoothercriterion.Ridingthepaddockshadn’tadvancedhersexualeducationatall,forthemeresniffofadoginthefardistancedrovealldesiretomateoutofanyanimal’smind,andasonallstations,indiscriminatematingwasnotallowed.Whentheramsweresentamongtheewesofaparticularpaddock,Meggiewasdispatchedelsewhere,andthesightofonedoghumpinganotherwassimplythesignaltoflickthepairwithherwhip,stoptheir"playing."