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that operated only in the absence of the investigator? "Meaning the experts found nothing?" he asked.
"Correct But they also interviewed the colonists and assembled a catalogue of episodes. They discovered that the
manifestations were confined to certain times and certain places usually. And they occurred only in the presence of
believers."
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r r
"This has a familiar ring," Brother Paul said. "The believer experiences; the nonbeliever doesn't. It is the way with
faith." He remembered his own discussion with the boys and girls of the village class; his belief had been stronger
than their disbelief.
"Precisely. Except that the skeptics of the colony were able to witness a few of the phenomena. Whereupon they
became believers."
As Saul of Tarsus had witnessed the grandeur of God on the road to Damascus, and become Christian. As the village
youths had witnessed the power of martial arts. "Believers in what?"
"In whatever they saw. There may have been skeptics when the "danse macabre" recital began, but there were none
at the end, because the skeletons were tangible. But there were other manifestations. In one case it was God or at
least a burning bush that spoke quite clearly, claiming to be God."
Presumptuous bush! "Sounds like a case for the priests, rabbis, or holy men."
"They were the next to investigate. They proceeded directly to the haunted regions." She stopped, and Brother Paul
did not prompt her with another question. She stared at the desk for some time, as though probing every fissure in its
rough grain, and finally resumed. "It was a disaster. Two resigned from their ministries, two had to be incarcerated as
mentally incompetent, and two died. It seems they experienced more Hell than Heaven. That is how the job filtered
down to us."
"Those apparitions actually killed. Took human life? No stampede or other physical cause?"
"Those apparitions, or whatever it was those people experienced, actually did destroy minds and take human life."
She faced Brother Paul squarely, and her concern for him made her almost radiant. He knew she would turn the same
expression on a wounded rattlesnake or a torn manuscript; that was what made her so lovely. "Now you know what I
fear. Are you ready to go to Hell?"
Ready? He was eager! "It sounds fascinating. But what exactly would be my mission there? To exorcise the Devil of
Tarot?"
"No. I fear that would be beyond your powers, or mine, or any of our Order." She smiled very briefly. "The holy men
who failed were prominent, devout men, thorough scholars, whose faith in their religions was tested and true. I find it
strange that they should have suffered so greatly, while the large majority of the colonists, who represent a random
sampling of Earth, have had few such problems."
Brother Paul nodded. "Perhaps not so strange. It may be that training and belief are liabilities in that situation."
"Perhaps. It is true that those who feel most strongly about religion obtain the strongest response from Planet Tarot.
Those whose primary concern is to feed their faces do just that."
As luck would have it, a strong waft of the aroma of Brother Peter's hot bread passed through the room, making
Brother Paul's mouth water. "Are you suggesting that my concern is to feed my face?" he asked with a smile. Now
that the nature of the mission had been clarified, his tension was gone.
"You know better than that, Paul! But you are not a divinity specialist. Your background is broader, touching many
aspects of the human state. More than the experience of most people. You know the meaning of prayer and of
pipefitting. Of divination and gambling."
"Those are apt parallels."
"Thank you. You are aware of things that are beyond my imagination." Brother Paul fervently hoped so; had she any
inkling of the mishmash of notions that coursed through his brain, she would be shocked. He was reminded of a
childhood game his friends had played, called Heaven or Hell. One boy and one girl were selected by lot to enter a
dark closet. For one minute he had either to kiss her (Heaven) or hit her (Hell). Once Brother Paul had dreamed of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]