IHE MASS OF THE ATHEIST. 537 



laboured from morning' till night, but he wished to be assured of Pa- 

 radi-se. lie was administered to like a saint as he was ; his death was 

 worthy of his life ; meek and gentle spirit, into which pride and sel- 

 fishness alike found it impossible to enter. His funeral was followed 

 but by me. When I had laid in the earth my only benefactor, and 

 that I sought how to acquit my deep debt of obligation to him, 1 per- 

 ceived that he had neither family, wife, children, nor relations But 

 he was a believer ! he had a religious conviction. Had I the right to 

 discuss it? He had timidly spoken to me of masses said for the re- 

 pose of the dead ; for he would not impose this duty upon me, think- 

 ing that it would be to demand the payment of his services. As soon 

 as I was in a condition to establish a foundation, 1 gave to St. Sulpice 

 the sum required for the celebration of four masses a year. As the 

 only thing that I can offer to Bourgeat is the fulfilment of his pious 

 wishes, the day on which this mass is performed, at the commence- 

 ment of each season, I go there in his name, and recite for him the 

 prayers required. I say, with all the faith that a sceptic can attain 



to, ' If there be a sphere, O where thou placest the souls of 



those who have humbly and conscientiously performed their duty 

 here, forget not thy faithful servant, the good Bourgeat, and, if there 

 be anything to suffer for him, lay the burden upon me, so that he 

 may enter the sooner into those regions of the blessed where he de- 

 sired to remain for ever.'* This, my dear friend, is as far as a man 

 holding my opinions can permit himself to go. The Deity should 

 be merciful and not hold me culpable, for I swear to you that I 

 would give all my fortune if, by doing so, the faith of Bourgeat 

 could enter into my spirit." 



Bianchon, who attended Desplein in his last illness, dares not af- 

 firm now that the illustrious surgeon died an atheist. Will not all 

 real and charitable believers feel a pleasure in supposing that the 

 humble Auvergnat may have been the means of opening to him the 

 o-ates of heaven, as he had formerly unlocked for him the portals of 

 the terrestrial temple on the pediment of which is written Aux 

 grands hommes la patrie reconnaissante ? 



Note. Although the events in this recital are all true, it would be 

 a serious wrong to make an application of them to any single indivi- 

 dual of the present day, the author having united in one character a 

 collection of circumstances connected with the private history of va- 

 rious persons. 



De Balzac. 



ParU, March 12th. 



* There is nothing to the feelings of a [)ioiis Catholic revoking in this address ; tlie 

 doctrine of purgatory and expiatory masses for the dead, perfortiifd by lite tiviiig, ac- 

 count satisfactorily enoutjhfor such ideas. Let Protestants, in feeling their advanta^'es, 

 be ffrateful and indulgent. 



