In a princely castle in France, located upon a hill, a suite of apartments was reserved to a priest. One evening he heard a loud knock at the outer door. Opening it, he saw a man who wished to go to confession, as he had something important to tell the priest. Bringing him into his room, the chaplain prepared to hear confession. Then the visitor told him that a plot had been formed to blow up the castle with dynamite that very night at one o’clock, and he had been chosen to carry out the deadly plan. The horrified priest used every argument he could think of to convince the man to abandon this evil project. But it was all no use, the man would not be prevented from fulfilling his promise.

As a result, the priest refused to give him absolution, and the criminal left the castle. Who can imagine the agony and anxiety the priest suffered during that night!

The priest, of course, remained in the castle. In fact, he went to bed as usual, and he prepared himself for death. He heard the hours go by, eleven, twelve, — at last one o’clock struck. Every moment he expected the dreaded catastrophe. How slowly the minutes crept by! The clock chimed a quarter past, then half past, and finally two o’clock struck. The fateful hour had gone by, and the priest was greatly relieved. He thought that, perhaps, his persuasions had taken effect and, the man had abandoned his criminal intentions.

At daybreak, there was a knock at the door of the priest’s apartments. Looking out, he saw the same man who came the preceding evening, and who was asking again to be let in. The man then said to the priest: “I wanted to convince myself that the seal of confession was strictly observed by priests, and I took these steps to make certain of the fact. All night long I stood outside your door, watching to see whether, after what I told you, you would hasten away from the castle. As you remained here quietly, I no longer doubt the reality of the secrecy observed in the confessional. Until I had assured myself of this, I was afraid to go to confession, as I am a great sinner; but now I will go with confidence, and relieve my soul of the burden of my misdeeds.” The seal of confession takes away the last excuse of the sinner in the sight of God.