This part of the excerpt seems to be correct as it reveals that the diet alone is responsible for his ninth birthday: "It had plenty of room to expand, thanks to the spare diet of the establishment; and perhaps to this circumstance may be attributed his having any ninth birth-day at all."
Difficult words! im 100% positive
Indulgences were b. grants of salvation sold for money. I think the church eventually renounced the practice. people bought then because they thought it would ensure that they went to heaven