Project Pope by Clifford D. Simak Read Free Book Online Page A

even so.
    â€”No, not often, Decker said.
    He picked up a poker and engineered the fire, settling logs into more compact space for better burning. The chimney mumbled at him. The wind moaned underneath the eaves. The fireplace flames sent shadows chasing up and down the room.
    â€”Vatican, said Whisperer, is very much excited.
    â€”Because of the Old One?
    â€”No, not because of the Old One. That is not known as yet. Something, it seems, has been found by a Listener.
    â€”The Listeners are finding something all the time.
    â€”But this finding is a special finding.
    â€”Special in what way?
    â€”I know not as yet. Everyone is excited. Some jubilant, some skeptical, some shocked. If true, I gather, something of very great import. The index of faith is running very high. An increase in devotion.
    â€”They have their little triumphs, said Decker, and their small defeats. The place is in continual uproar.
    â€”The triumph in this instance, said Whisperer, cannot be classified as small. There is great hope; many tellings of the beads.

Chapter Six
    They stood on the landing field, staring in some dismay at the small grouping of nondescript buildings that made up the colony of End of Nothing. On a low ridge behind the town rose a sprawling structure, or a group of structures—from this distance it was impossible to tell—all gleaming white, stately despite the lack of height, with a comfortable, down-to-earth appearance despite the stateliness. And, behind the structure, a backdrop to everything, reared up mountains purple in the distance, with the hint of white-capped peaks seeming to float in the air above them.
    Tennyson pointed at the structure on the ridge.
    â€œVatican, I take it.”
    â€œI would think it might be,” said Jill.
    â€œI’ve seen photographs of the Old Earth Vatican. That looks nothing like it.”
    â€œYou’re taking the name too literally,” Jill told him. “It’s nothing but a name. I doubt it has any real connection with the Vatican.”
    â€œBut a pope?”
    â€œWell, maybe some connection. An imagined connection. But I doubt there’s anything official, nothing that the Old Earth Vatican would officially recognize.”
    â€œAnd you propose to storm those heights?”
    â€œJason, you’re being dramatic now. A bit consciously dramatic. I’m not storming anything. There is a story here and I intend to get it. By going through channels. By marching up there in all politeness and saying who I am and what I want to do. And while I’m getting this story, what do you propose to do?”
    â€œHonestly, I don’t know. I’ve not even thought about it. I’ve been running and I guess here the running stops. I can’t go back to Gutshot, not for a while at least.”
    â€œYou sound as if you intend to keep on running.”
    â€œWell, not right away. This is as good a place as any to stop and rest awhile and have a look around.”
    The long line of pilgrims who had disembarked from Wayfarer were snaking down the field, apparently going through a visitor checkpoint.
    Tennyson nodded at them. “Do we have to go through the same procedure, do you know?”
    Jill shook her head. “I think not. No papers are required, not for humans anyhow. End of Nothing officially is listed as a human planet and there are certain courtesies extended to humankind. It’s a small place, too, and apt to be informal. A few days from now you may find yourself having lunch with the police chief, or the sheriff or the marshal, whatever the man is called, who will ask you some polite questions and will look you over well. I’m not sure about here, but that’s the way it usually works in small human colonies.”
    â€œWell, that sounds not too hard.”
    â€œYou’ll have to explain no luggage. The people at Human House may be curious. I think it would be best to explain that you had to run for the