Ангелы и демоны

Chapter 42

           APopeusuallyworkedfourteen-hourdays,sevendaysaweek,anddiedofexhaustioninanaverageof6.3years.Theinsidejokewasthatacceptingthepapacywasacardinal’s"fastestroutetoheaven."

           Mortati,manybelieved,couldhavebeenPopeinhisyoungerdayshadhenotbeensobroad-minded.Whenitcametopursuingthepapacy,therewasaHolyTrinity—Conservative.Conservative.Conservative.

           MortatihadalwaysfounditpleasantlyironicthatthelatePope,Godresthissoul,hadrevealedhimselfassurprisinglyliberaloncehehadtakenoffice.Perhapssensingthemodernworldprogressingawayfromthechurch,thePopehadmadeovertures,softeningthechurch’spositiononthesciences,evendonatingmoneytoselectivescientificcauses.Sadly,ithadbeenpoliticalsuicide.ConservativeCatholicsdeclaredthePope"senile,"whilescientificpuristsaccusedhimoftryingtospreadthechurch’sinfluencewhereitdidnotbelong.

           "Sowherearethey?"

           Mortatiturned.

           Oneofthecardinalswastappinghimnervouslyontheshoulder."Youknowwheretheyare,don’tyou?"

           Mortatitriednottoshowtoomuchconcern."Perhapsstillwiththecamerlegno."

           "Atthishour?Thatwouldbehighlyunorthodox!"Thecardinalfrownedmistrustingly."Perhapsthecamerlegnolosttrackoftime?"

           Mortatisincerelydoubtedit,buthesaidnothing.Hewaswellawarethatmostcardinalsdidnotmuchcareforthecamerlegno,feelinghewastooyoungtoservethePopesoclosely.

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