"When he was only ten, Spinoza was sent by his father to pick up some money owed by an old lady. Michael had taught his son to be vigilant and never to be fooled by false piety. The errand was to be a test of Spinoza's wits. The old woman asked the boy to wait while she finished her prayers. After praising Spinoza's father for his religious devotion, she quickly tried to fumble some cash into the child's bag. Sensing that there was something not quite right, Spinoza insisted on counting the money despite the lady's protests. She had indeed shortchanged him by slipping a few ducats through a gap in the table."
~~ from Spinoza: Freedom's Messiah by Ian Buruma
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