Federigo was decidedly interesting.

He could talk more or less on almost every subject, and he was full of theories which he propounded during their watches together, and to which Salve eagerly listened.
There was, he said, among other remarks, and in a superior manner, no such thing as religion, no such being as God.

Such ideas were only for dunderheads, who, moreover, in every country had their own particular form of belief for the clever people and the priests to turn to their own purposes.

In reference to that, he told many stories of the impositions practised by the priests in Brazil; and had many agreeable anecdotes, too, about the beliefs of the wretched little race whose Sun land they were passing at the time.

He pronounced, in a word, for the right of the strongest, and for piastres, women, and freedom as the great objects of existence.