Поющие в терновнике

           Thoughhewasonlythreeyearshissecretary’ssenior,hiscareerwithintheChurchhadn’tsufferedthechecksRalph’shad,andinmanywayshefeltimmeasurablyolderthanRalphwouldeverbe;theVaticansappedoneofsomevitalessenceifonewasexposedtoitveryearly,andRalphpossessedthatvitalessenceinabundance.

           Relaxinghisvigilancesomewhat,hecontinuedtowatchhissecretaryandresumedhisinterestinggameofworkingoutpreciselywhatmadeFatherRalphdeBricassarttick.Atfirsthehadbeensuretherewouldbeafleshlyweakness,ifnotinonedirection,inanother.Thosestunninggoodlooksandtheaccompanyingbodymusthavemadehimthetargetofmanydesires,toomuchsotopreserveinnocenceorunawareness.Andastimewentonhehadfoundhimselfhalfright;theawarenesswasundoubtedlythere,butwithithebegantobeconvincedwasagenuineinnocence.SowhateverFatherRalphburnedfor,itwasnottheflesh.Hehadthrownthepriesttogetherwithskilledandquiteirresistiblehomosexualsifonewasahomosexual;noresult.Hehadwatchedhimwiththemostbeautifulwomenintheland;noresult.Notaflickerofinterestordesire,evenwhenhewasnotintheslightestawarehewasunderobservation.FortheArchbishopdidnotalwaysdohisownwatching,andwhenheemployedminionsitwasnotthroughsecretarialchannels.

           HehadbeguntothinkFatherRalph’sweaknesseswereprideinbeingapriest,andambition;bothwerefacetsofpersonalityheunderstood,forhepossessedthemhimself.