“Sacre!” replied the Colonel; “What’s the meaning of this? Confession! what have I to do with confession?”
The Priest, who was a man as liberal as might be, consistent with his office, informed the Colonel that by a late law, no marriage could be celebrated in France between Catholics, unless the parties had first obtained a certificate of confession; but gave him to understand that he would make it easy to him.
“Eh bien!—very well, very well,” said the Colonel; “but what am I to do?”
“Very little, very little. Merely sit down, and tell me what sins you have committed in your life-time.”
“Parbleu!” replied the Colonel; “How am I to do that? I don’t know that I ever did any great harm.”
“Well then,” returned the Priest, “merely speak to the best of your recollection.”
Here he gave the Colonel his benediction.
“I never injured any one in my life—except, perhaps, running a few dozen Prussians and Spaniards through the body.—I have killed a few Englishmen too.”
“Ce n’est rien! that’s nothing.”
“I assisted in pillaging several towns, and burnt one or two villages.”