"Hardly—at any rate, I am not longing for it. I do not want to awake to another life; I want to sleep peacefully under the trees. I shall fall into dust, and the roots will feed on it, and leaves will grow from it: and I want no other life. I shall live in the sap of the green trees I planted with my own hands. I do not believe in your cruel God who makes His wretched creatures live on to suffer beyond the grave. Mine is a merciful God, who gives rest to animals, trees, and men when they are dead."
"Could there be a more obstinate sinner! You will go to hell-fire—to the tortures of the damned!"
"Show me where the Bible says that God created hell, and I will believe you."
"Oh, you pagan! You will be denying the existence of the devil next," cried the priest in a rage.
"I do deny that God ever created such a devil as you believe in: you invented one for yourselves, and did that badly, for your devil has horns and cloven feet, and such creatures as that eat grass and not men."
"The earth will open and swallow you up like Dathan and Abiram. Do you bring up the little child in this belief?"
"He is taught by the man who has adopted him."
"Who?"
"He whom the child calls father."
"And what is his name?"