'Don't you know you are a prisoner?' 'Oh! yes; I am quite sensible of it.'
'Well, you must do as the others do, and you must go to prayers.'
'Then you must carry me.'
'I'll report you to the clergyman.'
'Give the clergyman my compliments, and say I'm not coming to prayers.'
He stalked away with the air of one whose dignity was greatly outraged. During the time of this colloquy prayers were suspended, and the clergyman was waiting my arrival in order to begin. As soon as prayers were well over, an order came for me—'The clergyman wanted me.'
'Well, Mr. Holyoake,' he said, when I met him, 'how is it you did not come to prayers?'
I answered, 'You cannot expect me to come to prayers; you imprison me here on the ground that I do not believe in a God, and then you would take me to chapel to pray to one. I cannot prevent your imprisoning me, but I can prevent your making me a hypocrite, and must.'
'But if you attended the ordinances of grace, it might lead you to believe in the Christian religion.'
'I should be very sorry for that.'