dinner in the wild country towards the east, sorely staggered and beaten upon by the gale, but rewarded with some striking views.
At dinner the Work of the Propagation of the Faith was recommenced, and on this occasion still more distastefully to me. The priest asked me many questions as to the contemptible faith of my fathers, and received my replies with a kind of ecclesiastical titter.
"Your sect," he said once; "for I think you will admit it would be doing it too much honour to call it a religion."
"As you please, monsieur," said I. "La parole est à vous."
At length I grew annoyed beyond endurance; and although he was on his own ground, and, what is more to the purpose, an old man, and so holding a claim upon my toleration, I could not avoid a protest against this uncivil usage. He was sadly discountenanced.
"I assure you," he said, "I have no inclination to laugh in my heart. I have no other feeling but interest in your soul."
