It was on the sin of
shooting foxes; and I cannot tell you the horror I have of the crime,
even down to the present day. But, now I think of it, I did receive
two other scraps of religious training. My governess taught me the Ten
Commandments by making me say them after her when I was eating bread
and sugar for breakfast before going to church on Sunday. The thought
of them always brings back the flavour of bread and sugar. And the
other scrap I got from a clergyman to whom I was sent on a single
occasion when I was thought old enough to be confirmed. He asked me
which was the commandment with promise, and I didn't know, so he told
me; and then I made him laugh about a horse of mine that used to have
great fun trying to break my neck, and after that he said I should do.
I did not agree with him, however, and I positively refused to be
confirmed until I knew more about it. My mother said I was the most
disagreeable child she had ever known, which was probably true, but as
an argument it failed to convince. It was her last remark on the
subject, happily, and after that the thing was allowed to drop.
Pages:
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56