Поющие в терновнике

           Vittorio’seyeswerelikemirrors;theythrewbackwhattheysawanddidn’tpermitoneaglimpseofwhatwentonbehindthem.Meggie’seyeswereexactlytheopposite;theywentdownanddownanddown,allthewaytohersoul."Meggieisabenediction,"hesaid."She’saholythingtome,adifferentkindofsacrament."

           "Yes,Iunderstand,"sighedtheCardinal."Itiswellyoufeelso.InOurLord’seyesIthinkitwillmitigatethegreatsin.ForyourownsakeyouhadbetterconfesstoFatherGiorgio,nottoFatherGuillermo.FatherGiorgiowillnotmisinterpretyourfeelingsandyourreasoning.Hewillseethetruth.FatherGuillermoislessperceptive,andmightdeemyourtruerepentancedebatable."Afaintsmilecrossedhisthinmouthlikeawispyshadow."They,too,aremen,myRalph,thosewhoheartheconfessionsofthegreat.Neverforgetitaslongasyoulive.OnlyintheirpriesthooddotheyactasvesselscontainingGod.Inallelsetheyaremen.AndtheforgivenesstheymeteoutcomesfromGod,buttheearswhichlistenandjudgebelongtomen."

           Therewasadiscreetknockonthedoor;CardinalVittoriosatsilentlyandwatchedtheteatraybeingcarriedtoabuhltable.

           "Yousee,Ralph?SincemydaysinAustraliaIhavebecomeaddictedtotheafternoonteahabit.Theymakeitquitewellinmykitchen,thoughtheyusednottoatfirst."HehelduphishandasArchbishopRalphstartedtomovetowardtheteapot."Ah,no!Ishallpouritmyself.Itamusesmetobe‘mother.