Project Pope

Twenty

Jill had left just half an hour before, returning to the library, when Ecuyer showed up. Tennyson was dawdling over a cup of coffee. Hubert, after letting Ecuyer in, went back to the kitchen and started making a clatter. Hubert didn't like people who lingered at the table.

'You're up and about early, Tennyson said to Ecuyer. 'Sit down and have a cup of coffee.

'I believe I shall, said Ecuyer, 'although neither of us has too long.

'I have all the time there is, said Tennyson. 'I'm not due at the clinic until-

'This morning you haven't all the time there is. The two of us have been summoned.

Tennyson stared at him, saying nothing.

'Summoned, explained Ecuyer, 'to an audience with His Holiness.

'Oh?

'Is that all you can say?

'What did you expect me to do? Fall over dead? Be seized by a fit of trembling? Sink down upon my knees?

'You could at least show some respect. It is a signal honor to be summoned by the Pope.

'Sorry, said Tennyson. 'I would suppose it is. What is it all about?

'I'm not sure. Perhaps the Heaven incident. Theodosius and Roberts will be with us.

'The cardinals?

'Yes, the cardinals.

'I can understand why the Pope might want to see you. If it's about the Heaven incident, you're in it to your knees. But I-

'Mary is our patient. He might have some medical questions about her. I'm not even sure it's about Heaven. It might be just to meet you. Ordinarily a new Vatican staff member will have an audience with the Pope. Certainly he would want to meet the new Vatican physician. I suspect he would have arranged it long before this, but it has been a busy time.

'I have an impression it is always busy here, said Tennyson.

'Well, yes. But sometimes more than others.

They sat drinking their coffee. Hubert kept up his clatter in the kitchen.

'Hubert, said Ecuyer, raising his voice.

'Yes, sir?

'Cut it out, said Ecuyer. 'We have a right to sit here and drink our coffee.

'Why, certainly, said Hubert. The clatter subsided.

'He's spoiled, said Ecuyer. 'I spoiled him myself. I don't know what to do with him.

'There's something I have been meaning to ask you.

'Go ahead. Don't take too long.

'I saw this cube — the one with all the equations and diagrams. I think I told you. Have you seen it too?

'Well, yes, I guess I did. A long time ago. It was taped some years ago. Rather a long time ago.

'You told me the Listener went back several times and could make nothing of it.

'That's right, said Ecuyer. 'Are you hung up on it?

Tennyson nodded. 'There is something there. Something that I miss. Something that it seems to me I almost have and then it eludes me. I have a feeling that if I could stretch my mind just a little farther, I could come to grips with it.

'Any idea of what it might be?

'Not at all. That's the hell of it. I know there is something there, but no idea what it is. I find myself imagining all sorts of things, but I know it's none of them.

'Don't worry about it, counseled Ecuyer. 'I can show you things even worse. I had expected you to do more digging into the files than you have done. You are welcome, you know. Anytime you wish, anything you wish.

'There have been other things to do, said Tennyson. 'And, truth to tell, I might be even a little bit afraid of what I'd find. The equation world bothers me. The autumn world still haunts me. I'd like to go back and see the autumn world again, but something keeps me from it.

Ecuyer finished off his coffee.

'Come, he said. 'Let us see the Pope.