Project Pope

Fifty-one

Late in the day, Theodosius found the Old One that he sought.

He walked up close to it and waited for it to notice him. It made no sign it did.

Finally Theodosius spoke. 'I've come to visit you, he said.

The Old One began its vibrating, drumming sound, and after a time words formed in the vibrations.

'Welcome to my place, it said. 'I seem to recognize you. You were standing on the steps, were you not, when I brought the Decker home?

'Yes, I was. I am Enoch Cardinal Theodosius.

'Oh, you are that cardinal. I have heard of you. Tell me, could the organic being that stood on the steps with you have been the Tennyson?

'Yes, it was Tennyson. He was a friend of Decker's.

'So I understand, said the Old One.

'You said you had heard of me. Do you know many of us? Or have you heard of many of us?

'I know no one, said the Old One. 'I observe. That only.

At first, the Old One had seemed to talk with effort, but Theodosius noticed that after a few sentences, he now was speaking more easily and fluently.

'We have been unneighborly, I fear, said the cardinal, 'and I beg your pardon for it. This visit should have been paid centuries ago.

'You were afraid of us, said the Old One. 'You feared us greatly and we did not correct the fear. You feared us out of the figments of your mind and not because of anything we did. We did not correct the fear, for we have no real concern with you. Our concern is with the planet, and you are but a passing phase upon the planetary surface. What small concern we have with you regards how you treat the planet.

'I think we have treated it rather well, said the cardinal.

'Yes, you have, and for that we give you thanks. Perhaps we owe you more than thanks. We may even owe you some assistance. Do you know a Duster?

'Duster?

'The Decker called it Whisperer. Perhaps you know it by that name.

'I have never heard of it, said Theodosius.

'Once there were many of them here upon this planet and then they went away. They left one of them behind. They left a runt behind.

'The runt is Whisperer? Decker's Whisperer?

'That is right. And now the runt that was left behind in such disdain by his fellow Dusters begins to show great promise. We are becoming proud of him.

'I'd like to meet him, said the cardinal. 'I wonder why I haven't. Nor heard a mention of him.

'You cannot meet him now. He has gone away. With the Jill and the Tennyson he has gone away. Together they go to find the Heaven. ,

Theodosius gasped. 'Heaven! Did you say Heaven?

'This Heaven you have heard of? It means something to you?

'It means a great deal to us. Can you tell me what Heaven is?

'All I can tell you is that the three of them have gone to find it. They have help from others who are called equation folk. People the Listeners found many years ago.

'You surprise me by how much you seem to know of us and our operation.

'Our concern for the planet, said the Old One, 'made it seem wise that we keep marginally informed.

'Heaven! said Theodosius, gulping slightly.

'That's right — Heaven, said the Old One.

The cardinal found he could stay no longer. Abruptly he turned about and went plunging down the hill, tearing his way through low-growing bushes, his purple vestment catching on the bushes, torn to shreds as his headlong flight tore the fabric free.

At the foot of the hill, he came to a shallow ravine paved with huge flat stones that through the years had fallen from the hillsides. A small, shimmering sheet of water slid among the stones.

Here Enoch Cardinal Theodosius dropped to his knees. He clasped his hands together and held them on his breast. He lowered his head to rest against the clasped hands.

'Almighty God, he prayed, 'let it come out right! Please, make it come out right!