Page:Novels of Honoré de Balzac Volume 23.djvu/343

 “The dead man himself!”

This reply gave Minoret something of a shock, as he too used to see the doctor in his dreams.

“God is very kind, Monsieur le Curé, to perform miracles on my account,” rejoined Minoret, whose peril inspired him with the only joke he made in all his life.

“All that God does is natural,” answered the priest.

“Your phantasmagoria does not frighten me,” said the giant, somewhat recovering his presence of mind.

“I have not come to frighten you, dear monsieur, for I would not mention this to a living soul,” said the curé, “you alone know the truth. It is a matter between you and God.”

“Look here, Monsieur le Curé, do you believe me capable of such a horrible abuse of confidence?”

“I only believe in those crimes that are confessed to me and repented of,” said the priest, in apostolic tones.

“A crime?” cried Minoret.

“A crime that is awful in its consequences.”

“How?”

“By escaping human justice. Crimes that are not atoned for here below will be in the next life. God Himself avenges innocence.”

“Do you believe that God troubles Himself about these trifles?”

“Did He not see every detail in the universe at