The Atheist's Mass

"The Atheist's Mass" is a short story written by Honoré de Balzac in 1836, that was later included in "The Human Comedy (orig. "La Comédie Humaine"), a comprehensive novels and short story collection. Although a short text (around 20 pages long), this story contains a variety of powerful messages, ranging from social aspects, to morals and religion. Balzac allies with his two main characters - Doctors Horace Bianchon and Desplain - and delivers a refined insight into the integration of belief and knowledge in the context of humanity.