The Two Confessions by John Whitbourn (good books to read for adults .TXT) 📕

passing words of wisdom over the wall. From then on it oftenspoke to him (though no one else was so favoured), supplying faultlessguidance.

Themonks smiled gently on such delusions. It was only fitting, if alas merefiction, that the well-remembered giant should provide instruction for hischarges at their sunset, the same as at their dawn. False or no, the laudableeffect was that henceforth Trevan spent his days in prayer and even theBogomils gave up on him.

Shortlyafter, Samuel Trevan made what was termed 'a good death'. Pious rumourrecounted that at the end he greeted persons unseen, naming both beloved wife andtutor.

Trevan'sfinal words on earth were 'We should be careful’. Followed by: ThankGod!’ They travelled on his dying breath.

Hisedifying example, often retold, lived long after him; a lone and unexpectedlegacy - but small return, surely, for such a… busy life. When you thinkabout it….

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EPILOGUE

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cHAPTER 1

The Pope and Elf studiedeach other in mutual incomprehension. These meetings were always uncomfortable andSimon-Dismas II thanked his Maker for the solace, indeed the diversion, of thesetting. He still missed his native plains, although there were manycompensations in this new life. Like now, for instance. The Vatican gardenswere an official 'Wonder of the Modern World', consciously designed to inspirethoughts of ever-higher harmonies. Likewise, the numberless fruit trees andflowers stood as metaphors for the flowing generosity of the Divine. And theirtotality symbolised His great favour in simply permitting beings to be,even in this short life, let alone the one to come.

Knowinghis soul-less guest to be excluded from that eternal bounty, the Pope wonderedwhy she should be as entranced as he.

Shemight well be the one they usually sent, though it was impossible to tell and,if so, would make her implausibly old. Simon-Dismas had learnt from the helpfulnotes left by his predecessor on the throne of St Peter that it was best not tospeculate on the subject, but to simply arrange what was needful and then besparing with words. He'd also counselled charity towards such poor creatures.

Acrossthe gardens the Pope could see the Torre Dei Venti, home of the VaticanObservatory. From that venerable tower had come the calculations that set thename of Gregory XIII on the universal calendar. Likewise, the 'Meridian Room'at its top established a base time as well as zero map axes for allChristendom. In fact, most things seemed to have their beginning and end herein the Eternal Rome conquered by Christ. Through it this world was delivered toHim - and who knows, one day, places further afield too. For Simon-Dismassometimes mused upon the star-maps his astronomers published and, sitting wineglass in hand, allowed his speculative faculties to soar….

WhatSimon-Dismas knew for sure was that within the Torre at that very momentJesuit acolytes from 'The Sacred Congregation for the Cosmos' would bepreparing their telescopes for the watches of the coming night. There wereincreasing problems with the smoke pollution of the Roman sky, and so recurrenttalk of relocation to Abyssinia, but meanwhile they worked on with infectiouszeal. Only last month there'd been a correctly predicted meteor return, andyesterday the Congregation’s general had come to announce discovery of yetanother 'galaxy' (apparently a whole imperium of stars!) in theconstellation of Orion.

Afterwards,in a parallel to Simon-Dismas’ private wine-sipping and star-map sessions, thetwo princes of the Church had chatted over tea and biscuits, discussing whetherone day news of the Redemption might be passed to any beings inhabiting thosefar parts. And, if so, how?

Thatit would be a project for long after both men were dust; maybe another millenniumof progress away, did not deter them discussing it. There need be no sprinklingof melancholy on such conversations, as with the pagans: no need to lament thelittle life of individual men. If God willed it then it would come to pass; andwhich particular here-today, gone-tomorrow, humans were around to see hardlymattered. All would get to hear of it in due course, whether whilst on earth orduring what followed.

Thatwas another advantage of serving a two thousand year old institution given cast-ironguarantees: you could adopt the long view. Which was very relaxing.

Itwas the same with being Pope Simon-Dismas II (Xavier-Geronimo Ludwin as was,lately Archbishop of Maryland, son of a Kiowa-Apache accountant). As rulers ofhalf the world went (with influence in the remainder and the Hereafter), he wasa fairly jolly sort of fellow, and certainly more easy-going than most emperorsin history. That attitude sprang naturally from knowing all would be well.Eventually. However messy it might look from time to time.

ThePope then recalled that meanwhile there were still some on earth unblessed bythat knowledge: his present companion on the balcony for example. Theirevangelisation had been essayed in the past, only to be received withindifference or laughter. It was not openly admitted but no further attemptswere planned.

Simon-Dismasobliged himself to consider the final item on their agenda: last but by nomeans least; the foremost petition in his prayers some evenings. Accordingly,it was casually broached.

‘Oh,by the way; about the... what was it: Tre-van, person...?’

‘Whatof him?’ queried Joan. ‘He's dealt with.’

‘Quiteso. Nevertheless, suppose there's someone similar out there?’ The Pope wavedhis naturally copper-toned but now also tanned hand in the warm air,encompassing Rome, but meaning Christendom, or even the world.

TheElf-woman remained unconcerned.

‘Wethink not. A few of us can see far forward. There's nothing remotelylike him visible. Trust me: that future's strangled.’

‘Trust’was asking too much, but, with no means of checking, acceptance was always anoption.

Nowthe play of sunlight over the potted orange trees looked even more charmingthan before; more... enduring.

HisHoliness Pope Simon-Dismas II looked into the distance - and smiled.

‘Turnedout nice again,’ he said. ‘Hasn’t it?’

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cHAPTER 2

The world might well befinished with Samuel Trevan but his business there proved incomplete just yet.

Melissahad kept Samuel's large collection of 'dragon's bones' to the end, justlike she'd treasured everything of his, even though they no longer met. Butwhen the pneumonia carried her off no one coveted the boxes of dusty old rocks.Her executor, a distant cousin of pious disposition, wanted nothing to do withsuch vaguely blasphemous relicts. Years later he sold them, unpacked andunseen, for a shilling at public auction.

Theywere bought by one Dr Mantell of Lewes, a