considerable distances to enjoy the amusement of listening to me, and
they rewarded me, more than once, with cakes of maple sugar, for my
performances.

These acts of mimicry were, of course, among my sins; and it became
necessary for me to examine myself upon the number of times I had mocked
the priests. This circumstance was not calculated to make my confession
easier or more agreeable.

At last, the dread moment arrived, I knelt for the first time, at the side
of my confessor, my whole frame trembled: I repeated the prayer preparatory
to confession, scarcely knowing what I said, so much was I troubled by
fears.

By the instructions which had been given us before confession, we had been
made to believe that the priest was the true representative, yea, almost
the personification of Jesus Christ. The consequence was that I believed my
greatest sin was that of mocking the priest--and I, as I had been told that
it was proper first to confess the greatest sins, I commenced thus: "Father
I accuse myself of having mocked a priest!"

Hardly had I uttered these words, "mocked a priest", when this pretended
representative of the humble Jesus, turning towards me, and looking in my
face, in order to know me, better, asked abruptly; "what priest did you
mock, my boy?"

I would have rather chosen to cut my own tongue than to tell him to his
face who it was. I, therefore, kept silent for a while, but my silence made
him very nervous, and almost angry. With a haughty tone of voice, he said:
"what priest did you take the liberty of thus mocking, my boy?" I saw that
I had to answer. Happily his haughtiness had made me bolder and firmer; I
said: "sir, you are the priest whom I mocked!"

"But how many times did you take upon you to mock me, my boy?" asked he
angrily.

"I tried to find out the number of times, but I never could."

"You must tell me how many times, for to mock one's own priest is a great
sin."

"It is impossible for me to give you the number of times," I answered.

"Well, my child, I will help your memory by asking you questions. Tell me
the truth. Do you think you mocked me ten times?"

"A great many times more," I answered.

"Have you mocked me fifty times?"

"Oh! many more still!"

"A hundred times?"

"Say, five hundred, and perhaps more;" I answered.

"Well, my boy, do you spend all your time in mocking me?"

"Not all my time: but unfortunately, I have done it very often."

"Yes may you say: "un