Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-31
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
THE ATHEISTS MASS
BY HONORE DE BALZAC

to hear the mass which he himself
founded" was the answer.
It was difficult, now, for Biancfon to
meet Despleins at a place and time
when they could talk confidentially. He
wanted to ask the Atheist about the
mass he had founded. but the oppor-
tunity did not come for several more
years. Then Bianchon caught Despleins
again entering st. Sulpice, and followed
him in, taking a place by his side. Des-
pleins showed no alarm or surprise.
Afterward, Bianchon said: Tell me,
why this caprice of yours? have seen
| you several times going to mass. You,
Of all men--you don't believe in God
and yet you go to mass! Why?"
We'll" said Despleins slowly, II am
near the end Of my life. There is no
reason why 1 should not tell you. It
| concerns the beginning Of my life,
which has been long, and perhaps use
full in its way.
"It goes back to the days Of my
youth, when lived in garnet. was
poor. 1 was friendless. had no source
| of income sufficient even to buy me
of medical education. was in fair
way to die Of starvation, when found
| an unlooked-for friend.
| He was a water carrier, and the
| same day that I was told to vacate my
| poor lodging for lack Of funds he was
/ told to yacate his on account of hts
| lowly occupation But he had saved
some money and we were acquaintance.
We joined forces in our dilemma and
got rooms together-in a garnet. We
used poor cart he hired to transport
our few belongings.
THAT poor fellow, Bianchon, had
saved enough to buy his own cart and
be independent in his way 1t was his
life'S ambition. But he learned that
my life's ambition was to be a doctor,
and how I~could not afford it, and that
| I did, as he guessed, have the neces-
sary intelligence and determination il
could find the time and strength to
study.
well. to make long story short, he
made me the man ultimately became.
He paid for my books. He sacrificed
that might have health-giving food.
A man cannot learn profession with
! out energy, you know. He paid the ex-
penses of my final thesis-if you chance
to look it up, you'll find that dedi-
Gated it to him.
"It was he who was Ill the day
dropped everything to attend a poor
water carrier. You were surprised? Yes,
of course But he was the only father
1 ever knew. He had been more than
| father and mother both to me. He
could have asked for anything had
and would have given it to him. I
dropped everything, of course and made
him comfortable, and kept him alive
for a time. used all my skill, but we
all must die. He died.
Il wish I could have done more for
him. He left me everything he had
not small sum at that--by will. And
he was a devout Catholic, and though
he knew my own lack Of belief, he never
tried to convert me. He was the most
religious man ever knew, and his
faith, though I could not share 1t, i'm
pressed me.
"It occurred to me that he would
wish mass said for the peace Of his
soul. So being the only thing could
do for him dead, I founded the mass at
st. Sulpice, where I have gone to hear
it and say the necessary prayers four
times year. What do say to God
do not acknowledge? I say just this:
God, If there is place where you put
those who die and who have lived per-
fectly, put Bourgeat. the water carrier,
there, and If there is anything he must
suffer. let me suffer 1t in his stead, so
that he may enter more quickly that
Paradise in which he believed
II think" Despleins concluded, that
his God could not ignore that plea"