“St. Peter, on the contrary, of whom the Popes are the successors,” continued the Jesuit; “porrige digitos—present the fingers. Are you there, now?”
“Certes,” replied Aramis, in a pleased tone, “but the thing is subtle.”
“The fingers,” resumed the Jesuit, “St. Peter blessed with the fingers. The Pope, therefore blesses with the fingers. And with how many fingers does he bless? With three fingers, to be sure—one for the Father, one for the Son, and one for the Holy Ghost.”
All crossed themselves. D’Artagnan thought it was proper to follow this example.
“The Pope is the successor of St. Peter, and represents the three divine powers; the rest—ordines inferiores—of the ecclesiastical hierarchy bless in the name of the holy archangels and angels. The most humble clerks such as our deacons and sacristans, bless with holy water sprinklers, which resemble an infinite number of blessing fingers. There is the subject simplified. Argumentum omni denudatum ornamento. I could make of that subject two volumes the size of this,” continued the Jesuit; and in his enthusiasm he struck a St. Chrysostom in folio, which made the table bend beneath its weight.
D’Artagnan trembled.
“Certes,” said Aramis, “I do justice to the beauties of this thesis; but at the same time I perceive it would be overwhelming for me. I had chosen this text—tell me, dear D’Artagnan, if it is not to your taste—‘Non inutile est desiderium in oblatione’; that is, ‘A little regret is not unsuitable in an offering to the Lord.’”
“Stop there!” cried the Jesuit, “for that thesis touches closely upon heresy. There is a proposition almost like it in the Augustinus of the heresiarch Jansenius, whose book will sooner or later be burned by the hands of the executioner. Take care, my young friend. You are inclining toward false doctrines, my young friend; you will be lost.”
“You will be lost,” said the curate, shaking his head sorrowfully.
“You approach that famous point of free will which is a mortal rock. You face the insinuations of the Pelagians and the semi-Pelagians.”