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           Thirty-fiveyearsofage,acountrymonsignor,andasapowerintheChurch?Finishedbeforehehadbegun.Oh,thedreamsofyouth!Andthecarelessnessofyouth’stongue,thehotnessofyouth’stemper.Hehadnotbeenstrongenoughtomeetthetest.Buthewouldnevermakethatmistakeagain.Never,never…

           Hemovedrestlessly,sighed;whatwastheuse?Thechancewouldnotcomeagain.Timehefacedthatfactsquarely,timehestoppedhopinganddreaming.

           "Doyouremembermysaying,Ralph,thatI’dbeatyou,thatI’dhoistyouwithyourownpetard?"

           Thedryoldvoicesnappedhimoutofthereveriehiswearinesshadinduced.HelookedacrossatMaryCarsonandsmiled.

           "DearMary,Ineverforgetanythingyousay.WhatIwouldhavedonewithoutyouthesepastsevenyearsIdon’tknow.Yourwit,yourmalice,yourperception…"

           "IfI’dbeenyoungerI’dhavegotyouinadifferentway,Ralph.You’llneverknowhowI’velongedtothrowthirtyyearsofmylifeoutthewindow.IftheDevilhadcometomeandofferedtobuymysoulforthechancetobeyoungagain,I’dhavesolditinasecond,andnotstupidlyregrettedthebargainlikethatoldidiotFaust.ButnoDevil.Ireallycan’tbringmyselftobelieveinGodortheDevil,youknow.I’veneverseenascrapofevidencetotheeffecttheyexist.Haveyou?"

           "No.Butbeliefdoesn’trestonproofofexistence,Mary.Itrestsonfaith,andfaithisthetouchstoneoftheChurch.Withoutfaith,thereisnothing."

           "Averyephemeraltenet."

           "Perhaps.