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You are, theologically speaking, a demon. You are powerful inyour own way, and you cannot die naturally. You have an edge."I thought about it.
"Do you know what happened today in the world," she said, "justthis one day? We always begin our broadcast with such reports; doyou know how many people died in Bosnia? In Russia? In Africa?
How many skirmishes were fought or murders committed?""I know what you're saying.""What I'm saying is, it's highly unlikely this thing has the powerto trick you into anything. So go with it. Let it show you what itpromises. And if I'm wrong . . . if you're tricked into Hell, then I'vemade a horrible mistake.""No, you haven't. You've avenged your father's death, that's all.
But I agree with you. Trickery is too petty to be involved here. I'mgoing by instincts. And I'll tell you something else about Memnoch,the Devil, something maybe that will surprise you.""That you like him? I know that. I understood that all along.""How is that possible? I don't like myself, you know. I love my-self, of course, I'm committed to myself till my dying day. But I don'tlike myself.""You told me something last night," she said. "You said that if Ineeded you I was to call to you with my thoughts, my heart."ing you he wasn't evil, but that he was the adversary of God, that hecould change your mind on things?""I don't know," she said. "I might. I would maintain my free willthroughout the experience, but I very well might.""That's just it. Free will. Am I losing my will and my mind?""You seem to be in full possession of both and an enormousamount of supernatural strength.""Do you sense the evil in me?""No, you're too beautiful for that, you know it.""But there must be something rotten and vicious inside me thatyou can feel and see.""You're asking for consolation and I can't give that to you," shesaid. "No, I don't sense it. I believe the things you've told me.""Why?"She thought for a long time. Then she stood up and went to theglass wall.
"I have put a question to the supernatural," she said, lookingdown, perhaps at the roof of the cathedral. I could not see it fromwhere I stood. "I have asked it to give me a vision.""And you think I might be the answer.""Possibly," she said, turning and looking at me again. "That isnot to say that all of this is happening because of Dora and what Dorawants. It is, after all, happening to you. But I have asked for a vision,and I've been given a series of miraculous incidents, and yes, I believeyou, as surely as I believe in the existence of and the goodness ofGod."She came towards me, stepping carefully through the scatteredfolders.
"You know, none of us can say why God allows evil.""Yes.""Or whence it came into the world. But the world over, there aremillions of us桺eople of the Book桵oslem, Jew, Catholic,Protestant梔escendants of Abraham梐nd over and over we keep beingdrawn into tales and schemes in which evil is present, in which thereis a Devil, in which there is some element that God allows, someadversary, to use your friend's word.""Yes. Adversary. That's exactly what he said.""I trust in God," she said.
"And you're saying I should do that too?""res.
''You do the same. If you go with this creature, and you need me,call to me. Let me say it this way: If you cannot pull away of your ownvolition and you need my intercession, then send out your call! I'llhear you. And I'll cry out to the heavens for you. Not for justice butfor mercy. Will you make me that promise?""Of course.""What will you do now?" she asked.
"Spend the remaining hours with you, taking care of your affairs.
Making sure, through my numerous mortal alliances, that nothingcan hurt you in terms of all these possessions.""My father's done it," she said. "Believe me. He's covered it verycleverly.""Are you sure?""He did it with his usual brilliance. He left more money to fallinto the hands of his enemies than the fortune he left to me. Theyhave no need to go looking for anyone. Once they realize he is dead,they will begin to snatch his available assets right and left.""You are certain of all this.""Without question. Put your affairs in order tonight. You don'tneed to worry about mine. Take care of yourself, that you are readyto embark on this."I watched her for a long time. I was still seated at the table. Shestood with her back to the glass. It struck me that she had been drawnagainst it in black ink except for her white face.
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