dogma. I give you this briefly, but in your prayer-book you will find the
list of dogmas. I am a rod of iron as regards dogmas. My husband, who, as
I said, has succeeded in inspiring me with doubts on many
matters--without imagining it, for he has never required anything of me;
I must do him that justice--but who, at any rate, has succeeded in making
me neglect many things belonging to religion, such as fasting, vespers,
sermons, . . . confession.

Madame F--Confession! Oh! my dear, I should never have believed that.

Madame H--It is in confidence, dear pet, that I tell you this. You will
swear never to speak of it?

Madame F--Confession! Oh! yes, I swear it. Come here, and let me kiss
you.

Madame H--You pity me, do you not?

Madame F--I can not pity you too much, for I am absolutely in the same
position.

Madame H--You, too! Good heavens! how I love you. What can one do, eh?
Must one not introduce some plan of conciliation into the household,
sacrifice one's belief a little to that of one's husband?

Madame F--No doubt. For instance, how would you have me go to high mass,
which is celebrated at my parish church at eleven o'clock exactly? That
is just our breakfast time. Can I let my husband breakfast alone? He
would never hinder me from going to high mass, he has said so a thousand
times, only he has always added, "When you want to go to mass during
breakfast time, I only ask one thing--it is to give me notice the day
before, so that I may invite some friends to keep me company."

Madame H--But only fancy, pet, our two husbands could not be more alike
if they were brothers. Leon has always said, "My dear little chicken--"

Madame F--Ha! ha! ha!

Madame H--Yes, that is his name for me; you know how lively he is. He has
always said to me, then, "My dear little chicken, I am not a man to do
violence to your opinions, but in return give way to me as regards some
of your pious practices." I only give you the mere gist of it; it was
said with a thousand delicacies, which I suppress. And I have agreed by
degrees, . . . so that, while only paying very little attention to the
outward observances of religion, I have remained, as I told you, a bar of
iron as regards dogmas. Oh! as to that, I would not give way an inch, a
hair-breadth, and Leon is the first to tell me that I am right. After
all, dogma is everything; practice, well, what would you? If I could
bring Leon round, it would be quite another thing. How glad