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.” He rubbed his chin.“Where’s the Pope, do you know?”“It’s simple enough to find out,” said Priest Viernes, unwilling to admit he did not have that information.“Then do it,” said Cardinal Mendosa.“And while you’re at it, get hold of Cadini and van Hooven for me, will you? Tell them it’s urgent.”“Cadini and van Hooven,” repeated Priest Viernes.“All right.”“I’m going to shower and shave.I’ll want a couple croissants and some fruit for breakfast, and more coffee.” He smoothed the front of his nightshirt.“Let Peverston and Gilbert know that I’ll want to talk to all three of you at two this afternoon.”Priest Viernes made a sign of compliance.“I don’t want to intrude, but you do have that address to the scholars from the U.S.to give.At the Vatican library.It’s part of the International Study Agreement.”Cardinal Mendosa looked annoyed.“Right,” he said, nodding at the unwelcome recollection.“Right.What time is that?”“Two-thirty.There are seventy-eight of them, four from Texas.” He gave a sign of approval.“Bishop Peverston and Priest Gilbert can meet with you afterward.”“Makes sense.Set it up.And thanks for reminding me about the talk.” He rubbed at his chin a second time.“I need to see my barber sometime in the next few days.Arrange it for me, if you please.I’m getting too shaggy, and that won’t do.We’ve got to keep up proper appearances.”“I’ll take care of it.” Priest Viernes bowed slightly and turned toward the door.“If there is nothing else, I’ll send the order for breakfast.”“Go ahead.” Cardinal Mendosa glanced toward the bathroom.“I’ll want to know about the Pope as soon as I’m dressed.”“Of course,” said Priest Viernes, and left the Cardinal to his morning routine.By the time Cardinal Mendosa emerged from his private quarters, neatened, shaved, his hair combed and his dark suit and deep burgundy tie in perfect order, his cowboy boots polished and buffed, his breakfast was waiting, along with print-outs from all the wire services available on his information computer network.While he nibbled at the croissants and grapes he had been brought, he read over the material, his frown deepening with each sentence.“The Pope is in conference with a group of bishops from Africa.Willie Foot is with her, to translate.They are in the green conference room and are not to be disturbed.” Priest Viernes reported this as he poured Cardinal Mendosa another cup of coffee.“Then we won’t disturb them,” said Cardinal Mendosa as he made his way through the report.“How did this Boston situation get so far out of hand?”“There’s a large contingent of supporters of Reverend Williamson in Boston, and they’re becoming more restive.Reverend Williamson isn’t the most rabid of the extremists, but he does have the largest and most active following.” Priest Viernes sat down opposite the Cardinal.“In recent months, they’ve stepped up their activities, I think because they want to scoop up Catholics who are confused by what Pope An is doing and want a more—”“Traditional?” suggested Cardinal Mendosa gently.“Repressive?”Priest Viernes sighed.“You don’t need to argue with me, Cardinal.I might have doubted before, but I have come to think you are right.”“Not I, Pope An.” He broke his second croissant in half and leaned back in his chair as he set the print-outs aside.“Have you spoken to Cadini and van Hooven?”“Cadini yes, van Hooven, no.” Priest Viernes rubbed his hands together.“Cadini wants to talk with you as well.”“We’ll do it right after Mass,” said Cardinal Mendosa, plucking off a bit of pastry.“Leave a message with one of van Hooven’s staff.”“As you wish.”“And put in a call to the Eurocops.Talk to Captain Christopher Hafen.I want to know about their most recent developments in regard to Cardinal Tayibha.It looks bad that we still don’t know who poisoned him.It would help if we could show progress on that investigation.” He had more of the croissant and finished his coffee.“I’ll return in time to telephone President Carey.If there are messages, arrange for them to be given to me then, and say I will return them at that time.” As he set his napkin aside and got to his feet, he permitted himself the luxury of a long sigh.“I have been thinking that if Christ were to return as an Israeli carpenter these days, especially given the state of affairs in Israel, He would not recognize the religion He founded, no matter in what form.Maybe the Copts would seem familiar, but all the rest of it.…” He tried to shake off the morose thought.“The world has changed,” Priest Viernes offered.Cardinal Mendosa managed a quick smile.“Yes, it has.And so, I suspect, has Christ.”* * *In silence Sylvestre, Cardinal Jung rose from the table and turned portentously away from the other men.“Surely, Cardinal,” said Cardinal O’Higgins, “you cannot fix yourself in such strong opposition to the Pope.”“What Pope? We have no Pope.We have a travesty!” Cardinal Jung’s round face was rosy, his eyes showing a sulphurous tinge.“How can any of you endorse the rule of this Chinese woman?”“We have a Pope,” said Cardinal O’Higgins, his expression stern.“And you are taking a risk, speaking out this way,” warned Cardinal Montebranco.“We have had trouble enough without direct and deliberate rebellion.”“You do not support her,” Cardinal Jung accused.“Yet you acquiesce in her reign.How can you justify such hypocrisy, when you are committed to maintaining the Church as she has been maintained for century upon century?”“We aren’t doing quite that,” said Cardinal Tondocello softly.“Or the rich would still ride horses into the churches and cathedrals.” No one could be certain whether he was making a joke or not, but few of them laughed.Cardinal O’Higgins took up his point again.“We are the servants of the Church, and little though we may like it, we are her guardians.This woman is not just a woman.She is the head of this Church.”“She has no business being that,” said Cardinal Jung emphatically.He smoothed his cassock and swung back around.“It is our disgrace that we permit her to bring shame on this great Church, to plunder her and expose her to the scrutiny of the world.”Cardinal Sinclair, seated next to Cardinal Hetre, said, “It is a shame we brought on ourselves.There is no reason for us to compound it by disgracing our calling further.”Cardinal Tondocello crossed himself.“I abhor the woman but I revere the position she holds [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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