In France, the young assistant priests do not live in the main rectory. That is reserved for the senior priest and his housekeeper. One day the priest invited his new young assistant to have dinner at the rectory. While being served, the young priest noticed how shapely and lovely the housekeeper was, and deep down in his heart he wondered if there was more between the priest and the housekeeper. After the meal, the middle-aged priest assured the young assistant that everything was purely professional, that she was the housekeeper and cook and that was that.
About a week later, the housekeeper came to the priest and said, “Father, ever since the new assistant came for dinner, I have not been able to find the beautiful silver gravy ladle. You don’t suppose he took it do you?”
The priest said, “Well, I doubt it, but I’ll write him a letter.” So he sat down and wrote: “Dear Father, I’m not saying you did take the gravy ladle, and I’m not saying you didn’t take the gravy ladle. But the fact remains that it has been missing since you were here for dinner.”
The young assistant received the letter and he answered it as follows: “Dear Father, I’m not saying that you do sleep with the housekeeper, and I’m not saying that you don’t sleep with the housekeeper, but I do know for sure that if you slept in your own bed you would find the gravy ladle.”