Поющие в терновнике

           Hismissionwasaverydelicateone,ofsomemoment;therewerematterslongoverduefordiscussionwiththechiefprelatesoftheGreekOrthodoxChurch,theVaticanhavingafondnessforGreekandRussianOrthodoxythatitcouldn’thaveforProtestantism.Afterall,theOrthodoxieswereschisms,notheresies;theirbishops,likeRome’s,extendedbacktoSaintPeterinanunbrokenline.

           TheArchbishopknewhisappointmentforthismissionwasadiplomatictesting,asteppingstonetogreaterthingsinRome.Againhisgiftforlanguageshadbeenaboon,foritwashisfluentGreekwhichhadtippedthebalanceinhisfavor.TheyhadsentforhimallthewaytoAustralia,flownhimout.

           AnditwasunthinkablethathegowithoutBishopdeBricassart,forhehadgrowntorelyuponthatamazingmanmoreandmorewiththepassingoftheyears.AMazarin,trulyaMazarin;HisGraceadmiredCardinalMazarinfarmorethanhedidCardinalRichelieu,sothecomparisonwashighpraise.RalphwaseverythingtheChurchlikedinherhighofficials.Histheologywasconservative,sowerehisethics;hisbrainwasquickandsubtle,hisfacegaveawaynothingofwhatwentonbehindit;andhehadanexquisiteknackofknowingjusthowtopleasethosehewaswith,whetherhelikedthemorloathedthem,agreedwiththemordifferedfromthem.Asycophanthewasnot,adiplomathewas.IfhewasrepeatedlybroughttotheattentionofthoseintheVaticanhierarchy,hisrisetoprominencewouldbecertain.