“My dear girl, kindly understand that if I knew that an instantaneous and certain cure lay to my hand, there--do you hear?--_there!_” (and he pointed wildly to the salt-cellar) “but that before taking it, I must beg the Principal” (this was his jocose name for the Supreme Being on the days when he was in a bad temper) “or beseech him to intervene--to upset for my sake the established order--the natural order--the venerable order of cause and effect, I wouldn’t take his cure. I wouldn’t! I should say to the Principal: ‘Don’t come bothering me with your miracle! I don’t want it--at any price! I don’t want it!’” He stressed each word--each syllable. The loudness of his voice matched the fury of his temper. He was frightful. “You wouldn’t want it? Why not?” asked Julius, very calmly. “Because it would force me to believe in God--who doesn’t exist,” he cried, banging his fist down on the table. Marguerite and Veronica exchanged anxious glances, and then both looked towards Julie. “I think it’s time to go to bed, my darling,” said her mother. “Make haste. We’ll come and say good night to you when you’re in bed.” The child, terrified by the dreadful words and diabolical appearance of her uncle, fled. “If I am to be cured, I want to owe it to no one but myself. So there!” “Then what about the doctor?” ventured Marguerite. “I pay him for his visits. We are quits.” “Whilst gratitude to God,” said Julius in his gravest, deepest voice, “would bind you....” “Yes, brother Julius, and that is why I don’t pray.” “Others pray for you, my dear.” This remark came from Veronica, who up till now had said nothing. At the gentle sound of her well-known voice, Anthime started and completely lost all self-control. Contradictions and incoherences came jostling from his lips. “You have no right to pray for a person against his will, to ask for a favour for him without his leave. It’s treachery! You haven’t gained much by it, however. That’s one comfort. It’ll teach you what your prayers are worth. Much to be proud of. I’m sure!... But, after all, perhaps you didn’t go on praying long enough.”