-A what? As I please! You are an amazing man, really! One might think from the way you say that the truth depends on our will. I see clearly that it is difficult for you to find the truth yourself. Listen, then, to how Sánchez handles this question; true, but it's Sanchez. First, he makes the following distinction in his Summa (Book 2, Ch. 38, MeMg 94, 95, and 96): "Did he resort to astrology and other natural remedies alone, or did he resort to blackmail," since, according to him, "in the one case the money must be returned, and in the other it is not." Can you now say in which one?

"It's not difficult," I said.

"I can see," he said, "what you mean." Do you think that he is obliged to return if he had recourse to the mediation of devils? Well, you don't understand anything; quite the opposite. Here is the decision of Sánchez himself in the same place: "If this diviner has not taken the trouble to find out with the help of the devil what cannot be known otherwise, si nullam operant apposuit ut arte diaboli id sciret, he is obliged to return, but if he has taken care of the said assistance, he is not obliged."

"Why is this so, my father?"

"Don't you understand that?" he said. "Because with the help of the devil you can probably tell fortunes, while astrology is a deceptive method.

"But, my father, if the devil does not tell the truth (he is not more truthful than astrology), then the fortune-teller will have to return the money on the same basis?"

"No, not always," he said. "Distinguo," says Sánchez, "if the diviner is ignorant of the black-book, si sit artis diabolicae ignarus, he is bound to give the money back: but if he is a skilful sorcerer, and has done all he can to find out the truth, he is not obliged to do so, for then the diligence of such a sorcerer may be valued at the money: 'diligentia a mage apposita est pretio aestimabilis.'

"That is not without common sense, my father," I said, "for in this way the sorcerers may be made to become learned and experienced in their art, in the hope of lawfully acquiring property, according to your rules, in the faithful service of the public.

"You seem to me to be mocking," said the priest, "it is not good, for if you speak in this way in a society where you are not known, there may be people who will be offended by your speech, and will accuse you of ridiculing religious things.

"It is not difficult for me to defend myself against this accusation, my father, because I hope, if I take the trouble to understand the true meaning of my words, there will not be a single one that does not prove the exact opposite, and perhaps in our conversations there will be some opportunity to clarify this in detail.

-Wow! "You're not laughing any more," said the priest.

"I confess to you," I said, "the suspicion that I wanted to laugh at sacred objects would be very sensitive to me, as it would be extremely unjust.

"I said it jokingly," replied the priest, "but let us speak more seriously.

"I am quite disposed to it; If you will, my Father, it's up to you. But I confess that I was surprised that your fathers extended their solicitude to all kinds of positions to such an extent that they even wished to determine the lawful income of sorcerers.