A Question with only One Answer.
A YOUNG man from the Provinces who was sent to Paris to finish his education, had the misfortune of getting into bad company. He went so far as to wish and to say there is no God: God was only a word. After staying several years in the capital, the young man returned to his family. One day he was invited to a respectable house where there was a numerous company. While all were entertaining themselves with news, pleasures, and business, two girls were seated in a bay-window reading together. The young man approached them and asked, “What beautiful romances are you reading so attentively, young ladies?” “We are reading no romance, sir; we are reading the history of God’s chosen people.” “You believe, then, that there is a God?” Astonished at such a question, the girls looked at each other, the blood mounting to their cheeks. “And you, sir, you do not believe it?” “Once I believed it, but after living in Paris, and studying philosophy, mathematics, and politics, I am convinced that God is an empty word.” “I, sir, was never in Paris; I have never studied philosophy or mathematics or all those beautiful things which you know; I only know my catechism; but since you are so learned and say there is no God, you can easily tell me whence the egg comes?” “A funny question, truly; the egg comes from the hen.” “And now, sir, whence comes the hen?” “You know that as well as I do, Miss, the hen comes from the egg.” “Which of them existed first, the egg or the hen?” “I really do not know what you intend with this question and with your hen; but yet that which existed first was the hen.” “There is a hen, then, which did not come from an egg?” “Beg your pardon, Miss, I did not take notice that the egg existed first.” “There is, then, an egg which did not come from a hen?”173 “Oh, if you—beg pardon—that is—you see—” “I see, sir, that you do not know whether the egg existed before the hen, or the hen before the egg.” “Well, then, I say the hen.” “Very well, there is then a hen which did not come from an egg. Tell me now who made the first hen from which all other hens and eggs come?” “With your hens and your eggs, it seems to me you take me for a poultry dealer.” “By no means, sir, I only ask you to tell me whence the mother of all hens and eggs comes?” “Well, since you do not know, you will permit me to tell you. He who created the first hen, or as you would rather have it, the first egg, is the same who created the world, and this being we call God. You who cannot explain the existence of a hen or an egg without God, still wish to maintain to be able to explain the existence of this world without God.” The young philosopher was silent; he quietly took his hat, and full of shame departed.—Translated from the French.