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Chapter 18

Therehavebeenmanypriestsmadehere,thousandsuponthousands,yetforhimthereissomethingspecial.Oh,Meggie!Whywouldn’tyoucometoseethegiftyou’vegivenOurLord—thegiftIcouldnot,havinggivenHimmyself?AndIsupposethat’sit,howhecanbeheretodayfreeofpain.BecausefortodayI’vebeenempoweredtotakehispaintomyself,freehimfromit.Iweephistears,Imourninhisplace.Andthatishowitshouldbe.

Laterheturnedhishead,lookedattherowofDroghedapeopleinaliendarksuits.Bob,Jack,Hughie,Jims,Patsy.AvacantchairforMeggie,thenFrank.Justine’sfieryhairdimmedunderablacklaceveil,theonlyfemaleClearypresent.Rainernexttoher.Andthenalotofpeoplehedidn’tknow,butwhosharedintodayasfullyastheDroghedapeopledid.Onlytodayitwasdifferent,todayitwasspecialforhim.Todayhefeltalmostasifhe,too,hadhadasontogive.Hesmiled,andsighed.HowmustVittoriofeel,bestowingDane’spriesthooduponhim?

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Perhapsbecausehemissedhismother’spresencesoacutely,JustinewasthefirstpersonDanemanagedtotakeasideatthereceptionCardinalVittorioandCardinalRalphgaveforhim.Inhisblacksoutanewiththehighwhitecollarhelookedmagnificent,shethought;onlynotlikeapriestatall.Likeanactorplayingapriest,untilonelookedintotheeyes.Andthereitwas,theinnerlight,thatsomethingwhichtransformedhimfromaverygood-lookingmanintooneunique.