Chapter 124

           Neverbeforehadsomanybeensosilent.

           ThefacesinSt.Peter’sSquare,onebyone,avertedtheireyesfromthedarkeningskyandturneddownward,eachpersoninhisorherownprivatemomentofwonder.Themedialightsfollowedsuit,droppingtheirbeamsbacktoearthasifoutofreverencefortheblacknessnowsettlinguponthem.Itseemedforamomenttheentireworldwasbowingitsheadinunison.

           CardinalMortatiknelttopray,andtheothercardinalsjoinedhim.TheSwissGuardloweredtheirlongswordsandstoodnumb.Noonespoke.Noonemoved.Everywhere,heartsshudderedwithspontaneousemotion.Bereavement.Fear.Wonder.Belief.Andadread-filledrespectforthenewandawesomepowertheyhadjustwitnessed.

           VittoriaVetrastoodtremblingatthefootofthebasilica’ssweepingstairs.Sheclosedhereyes.Throughthetempestofemotionsnowcoursingthroughherblood,asinglewordtolledlikeadistantbell.Pristine.Cruel.Sheforceditaway.Andyetthewordechoed.Againshedroveitback.Thepainwastoogreat.Shetriedtoloseherselfintheimagesthatblazedinother’sminds…antimatter’smind-bogglingpower…theVatican’sdeliverance…thecamerlegno…featsofbravery…miracles…selflessness.Andstillthewordechoed…tollingthroughthechaoswithastingingloneliness.

           Robert.

           HehadcomeforheratCastleSt.Angelo.

           Hehadsavedher.

           Andnowhehadbeendestroyedbyhercreation.

           AsCardinalMortatiprayed,hewonderedifhetoowouldhearGod’svoiceasthecamerlegnohad.