Continuity mistake: In Abbe's dream, when he and Madeleine are making love, the position of their heads changes from being face to face in all the side shots, to side by side (so we can see Madeleine's face) in all the above shots. Madeleine's eyebrows also change, from having a kink in the left side one in several of the frontal shots, and to being smooth in all the side views.
Continuity mistake: After Madeleine has been whipped and she is putting her clothes back on, she puts her arm into the same sleeve twice.
Answer: Because he apparently had to work the courage up to say whatever it is he wanted to say. He was conflicted in his feelings for Maddie. He's a priest and isn't supposed to 'want' her the way he does. Catholic priests take a vow of chastity and he was trying to deal with his feelings as a man and his vows as a priest.
Shannon Jackson