Abbé Mouret's Transgression by Émile Zola

On entering the church Abbé Mouret found nine or ten big girls awaiting him with boughs of ivy, laurel, and rosemary. Few garden flowers grew on the rocks of Les Artaud, so the custom was to decorate the Lady altar with a greenery which might last throughout the month of May. Thereto La Teuse would add a few wallflowers whose stems were thrust into old decanters.

‘Will you let me do it, Monsieur le Curé? ' she asked. ‘You are not used to it -- -- Come, stand there in front of the altar. You can tell me if the decorations please you.'