Поющие в терновнике

           "I’msorry,YourEminence,Ididn’tmeantosaythat!"

           "It’sallright,Dane,CardinaldiContini-Vercheseunderstands.WemetfirstasDaneandRalph,andwekneweachotherfarbetterthatway,didn’twe?Formalityisnewtoourrelationship.I’dpreferitremainDaneandRalphinprivate.HisEminencewon’tmind,willyou,Vittorio?"

           "No.IamfondofChristiannames.ButreturningtowhatIwassayingabouthavingfriendsinhighplaces,myson.Itcouldbeatrifleuncomfortableforyouwhenyouenterwhicheverseminaryisdecidedupon,thislongfriendshipwithourRalph.Tohavetokeepgoingintoinvolvedexplanationseverytimetheconnectionbetweenyouisremarkeduponwouldbeverytedious.SometimesOurLordpermitsofalittlewhitelie"—hesmiled,thegoldinhisteethflashing—"andforeveryone’scomfortIwouldpreferthatweresorttoonesuchtinyfib.Foritisdifficulttoexplainsatisfactorilythetenuousconnectionsoffriendship,butveryeasytoexplainthecrimsoncordofblood.SowewillsaytoallandsundrythatCardinaldeBricassartisyouruncle,myDane,andleaveitatthat,"endedCardinalVittoriosuavely.

           Danelookedshocked,CardinalRalphresigned.

           "Donotbedisappointedinthegreat,myson,"saidCardinalVittoriogently."They,too,havefeetofclay,andresorttocomfortvialittlewhitelies.Itisaveryusefullessonyouhavejustlearned,butlookingatyou,Idoubtyouwilltakeadvantageofit.However,youmustunderstandthatwescarletgentlemenarediplomatstoourfingertips.