ty of the nephewship of Camillo Astalli had
hitherto never become a point of faith; let, however, the present Pope,
or any other Pope, proclaim that it is necessary to believe in the
reality of the nephewship of Camillo Astalli, and see whether the
faithful would not believe in it. Who can doubt that,' he added, 'seeing
that they believe in the reality of the five propositions of Jansenius?
The Jesuits, wishing to ruin the Jansenists, induced a Pope to declare
that such and such damnable opinions, which they called five
propositions, were to be found in a book written by Jansen, though in
reality no such propositions were to be found there; whereupon the
existence of these propositions became forthwith a point of faith to the
faithful. Do you then think,' he demanded, 'that there is one of the
faithful who would not swallow, if called upon, the nephewship of Camillo
Astalli as easily as the five propositions of Jansenius?' 'Surely,
then,' said I, 'the faithful must be a pretty pack of simpletons!'
Whereupon the man in black exclaimed, 'What! a Protestant, and an
infringer of the rights of faith! Here's a fellow who would feel himself
insulted if anyone were to ask him how he could believe in the miraculous
conception, calling people simpletons who swallow the five propositions
of Jansenius, and are disposed, if called upon, to swallow the reality of
the nephewship of Camillo Astalli.'

I was about to speak when I was interrupted by the arrival of Belle.
After unharnessing her donkey and adjusting her person a little, she came
and sat down by us. In the meantime I had helped my companion to some
more hollands and water, and had plunged with him into yet deeper
discourse.

CHAPTER III

NECESSITY OF RELIGION--THE GREAT INDIAN
ONE--IMAGE-WORSHIP--SHAKESPEARE--THE PAT ANSWER--KRISHNA--AMEN

Having told the man in black that I should like to know all the truth
with regard to the Pope and his system, he assured me he should be
delighted to give me all the information in his power; that he had come
to the dingle, not so much for the sake of the good cheer which I was in
the habit of giving him, as in the hope of inducing me to enlist under
the banners of Rome, and to fight in her cause; and that he had no doubt
that, by speaking out frankly to me, he ran the best chance of winning me
over.

He then proceeded to tell me that the experience of countless ages had
proved the necessity of religion; the necessity,