had gone out, they
remained face to face, without speaking, as they had nothing more to say
to one another, and waited. Then, suddenly, a little boy of ten rushed
into the room and ran up to the man whom he believed to be his father,
but he stopped when he saw the stranger, and Monsieur Flamel kissed him
and said: "Now, go and kiss that gentleman, my dear." And the child went
up to the stranger and looked at him.

Francois Tessier had risen. He let his hat fall, and was ready to fall
himself as he looked at his son, while Monsieur Flamel had turned away,
from a feeling of delicacy, and was looking out of the window.

The child waited in surprise; but he picked up the hat and gave it to
the stranger. Then Francois, taking the child up in his arms, began to
kiss him wildly all over his face; on his eyes, his cheeks, his mouth,
his hair; and the youngster, frightened at the shower of kisses, tried
to avoid them, turned away his head, and pushed away the man's face with
his little hands. But suddenly Francois Tessier put him down and cried:
"Good-by! good-by!" And he rushed out of the room as if he had been a
thief.

MY UNCLE SOSTHENES

Some people are Freethinkers from sheer stupidity. My Uncle Sosthenes
was one of these. Some people are often religious for the same reason.
The very sight of a priest threw my uncle into a violent rage. He would
shake his fist and make grimaces at him, and would then touch a piece
of iron when the priest's back was turned, forgetting that the latter
action showed a belief after all, the belief in the evil eye. Now, when
beliefs are unreasonable, one should have all or none at all. I myself
am a Freethinker; I revolt at all dogmas, but feel no anger toward
places of worship, be they Catholic, Apostolic, Roman, Protestant,
Greek, Russian, Buddhist, Jewish, or Mohammedan.

My uncle was a Freemason, and I used to declare that they are stupider
than old women devotees. That is my opinion, and I maintain it; if we
must have any religion at all, the old one is good enough for me.

What is their object? Mutual help to be obtained by tickling the palms
of each other's hands. I see no harm in it, for they put into practice
the Christian precept: "Do unto others as ye would they should do unto
you." The only difference consists in the tickling, but it does not seem
worth while to make such a fuss about lending a poor devil half a crown.

To all my arguments my uncle's reply used to be: