The Translation of Father Torturo Read Online Free PDF Page B

Christianity, after all, did most certainly evolve from animism, astrology, divination, magic and fetishism.”
    “That is not unlikely,” the professor said with a smile. “But, you are taking evolution as your premise, which the Church is not yet reconciled to. Though you seem to be a logical man, the corporation you work for is not so broad minded.”
    “I work for the corporation of imga ; I work for the corporation of God, the corporation of the profound truth,” Torturo replied with the utmost seriousness, looking gravely into the professor’s eyes.
    “Yes,” the professor said, clearing his throat, adjusting his glasses and turning back to the manuscript that sat between the two men. “Well, in any case, let us get back to this section dealing with mysterious performances, videlicet: the recitation of formularies, gestures, and the blending of incongruous elements.”
    “Very well. The lines describing the transference of consciousness spell particularly interest me.”
    “Do they? I found some manuscript pages recently which, I believe, deal with the same subject.”
    “You believe?”
    “Well, yes. I found the manuscript stuffed within the body of an old German Bible. There are a few phrases in Greek characters which point in the same direction as the lines to which you refer. The majority of the text is however in Hebrew, which, frankly, I know little of.”
    “It sounds very interesting.”
    “Yes; I will loan you the manuscript if you like.”
    “I would like nothing better.”
    The manuscript proved to be extremely interesting. Written in a very small, concise hand, on fourteen strips of vellum and two of roan (the latter being in a rather deteriorated state), the material, though mostly in Hebrew characters, was not Hebrew, but a combination of Hebrew and transliterated Greek and Latin. No one without a fair knowledge of all three languages could have understood the contents. Torturo was fluent in two of the three languages and understood the third tolerably well.
    The title of the manuscript was The Just Treatise of Transposition; Transferring the Substance of the Dead to the Living, and the Fundamental Nature of the Living to the Dead , and claimed itself to be the work of Simeon ben Jochai. That it was written during, or just after the reign of the Emperor Titus seemed likely from certain passages; – though, judging from its style, it could have been composed anywhere from 50 to 300 A.D.
     

Chapter Five
     
    “ Cin-cin .”
    The two men lifted the glasses to their lips and drank. The wine, though not especially good, was pleasant on the tongue. Outside it was wet and chilly. To be near a fire, drinking, whatever it might be, was a comfort. The light from the fire glowed on their faces: one had features soft and gentle, the other’s were like stone. The men were nearly the same age, but one looked ten years older than the other.
    “I will change my occupation,” said the softer, younger looking of the two.
    “What?”
    “Yes – it is only me and mother now. There is no longer any need to keep it up.”
    “But it is your livelihood!”
    “I am amazed to hear you, to hear a man of your calling say such a thing!”
    Torturo shrugged his shoulders. “I respect filial duty,” he said.
    “Even if it means slaying your neighbour?” Marco asked in a whisper. “I cannot believe you truly think that.”
    “They are only metaphorically your neighbours. You have been brought up to perform a certain task; – That is the blade of reality.”
    “But . . . But, living without morality: It sickens me!”
    Torturo took a sip of his wine.
    “A certain English psychologist once said that nature’s order is far older and more established than our civilised human morality.”
    “Nature’s order?”
    “Certainly: by killing, you are following the dictates of nature.”
    Marco sighed. “You are smarter than me,” he said, “but that does not make you right.”
    “No; it only makes me easy