Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/31

 of which led to pilgrimages from all parts of the country to look at it. Even now the wildest tales were told of the recklessness with which he squandered his money.

A peasant only had to go to him and complain of a misfortune with his cattle, or say that his corn was blighted, and he would immediately run a pen through his debt for tithes, and sometimes even hand him a note for 50 Daler when he left. All that he asked in return was to be left in peace with his books and his works of art; and as the parishioners always had considerably less taste for the treasures of religion than for the more tangible goods of this world, the best understanding existed between the congregation and its head during the fifteen years reign of the "Millionaire Priest."

In the meantime Provst Tönnesen complained bitterly of his predecessor, and with reason; by his proceedings he had entirely muddled the ideas of the parishioners. They had grown accustomed to regard tithes and offerings as things they might give or withhold at their discretion, so that when the Provst demanded that regularity should be re-introduced and even required strictly punctual payments, it was looked upon as unseemly greed in a priest, and gave rise to a meeting which was the first source of the strained relations which had existed ever since.

The hostile feeling against the Provst had in the last few days taken a new and characteristic