"No," I said, "the idea never occurred to me; but even if it had, I
should not have dared to do it, for fear of offending him. It is not
usual", I added scornfully, "to pay before one is served. No one ever
pays me for a saddle before I make it." "No matter," replied your
aunt, "my advice to you is to return to the priest, and offer to pay
for the masses which you have ordered."

I did as she advised me, and this time my request was favourably
received. The priest seized the six-franc piece which I laid on the
table, looked at me and said, "Do you wish me to say six?" "No,"
I replied, with a feeling of indignation which I could hardly
repress--"No, sir, I only want three. Return to me the rest of the
money; poor folks cannot afford to spend so much at once."

I left the priest, thoroughly ashamed of having contributed to gratify
his cupidity, and very much disposed to think the religion we were
taught was nothing but a tissue of fables and impostures, to which the
thirst of gold and silver had given birth. I cannot tell you all the
sad and painful reflections that occupied my mind during the remainder
of that day; I was overcome by them, and rejoiced to see the night,
hoping to find relief in sleep. I went to bed, but could not close my
eyes. Still haunted by the remembrance of what had so disgusted me,
a multitude of thoughts crowded on my imagination. I knew that the
priests claimed the word of God as their authority for all their
doctrines and ceremonies, which word I also knew was contained in the
Old and New Testaments, although, to my misfortune, I did not then
regard them as a divine revelation. In fact, I believed no more in
the Holy Bible _as the word of God_, than I did in the doctrine of
purgatory; still I felt a desire to search and to ascertain whether
this _lucrative_ doctrine was contained in the Gospel, and in what