The year of the virgins Read Online Free PDF Page A

chosen of the Almighty. Now if we could only get that out of our heads we'd be the perfect religion. But there, I could be excommunicated for voicing such an opinion, because

    on the other hand there's not a more lenient or tolerant sect. Which other lot would give you leave to get drunk on your Friday night's pay, batter the wife, then arrive at confession on the Saturday night, then take Communion on the Sunday morning, before making for the club for a skinful? I tell you, we are the most tolerant of God's creatures and so we don't go in for extremes.'
    'It's a pity then, Father, you couldn't have put over that point of view to Winnie some years ago.'
    'Oh, me boy! I did. And I keep at it to this day, and with others of her kin. But do they take any notice? No. They would rather listen to Father Cody spouting his hellfire. Oh, believe me, Daniel, there's more thorns in the flesh than women. Why on earth did they send that young man to me? Now why am I asking the road I know? Things want tightening up around Fellburn. That's what was said in high quarters. People were forgetting there was a hell, at least that old fool Father Ramshaw had forgotten. Instead of folks being sat on hot gridirons minus their pants, that old fool was proposing a sort of nice waiting-room where the patients could just wait and think and ponder on their past life and be sorry for their misdeeds, sins, if you like; the worst, which I've always stated in plain language from the pulpit, as you know, being unkindness to one another . . . But to get back to Maggie: how did this come about after all this long time?'
    Daniel again brought his body forward, and his voice low now, he said, Tt was quite simple; it seemed to be all set up. It was her day off. I gave her a lift into town. Strange, but it was the first time she'd ever been in the car with me; I mean, alone. Years ago, when she used to take Stephen out on her day off, I would drop them at her cousin's. And there we were this day, and she invited me to go in with them.

    Outside this house she seemed different, and as she talked I looked at her and saw this smart woman that had lived in my house for twenty years, and the kindness emanating from her, and I knew then what I'd known for a long time deep within me that I not only wanted her, but I loved her too. And that was that. Apparently, as you said, she had the same feeling for me, even though it was well hidden. What am I going to do, Father?'
    'Now what can you do? If I say to you, cut her out of your life, you'll say, how can you, living in the same house? If I say to you, if your wife gets wind of this there'll be hell to pay and no mistake, what'll you say?'
    'I want to leave Winnie, Father. Once Don's married and out of her clutches' - he jerked his head towards the ceiling - 'I mean to go. And I'll take Stephen with me, Maggie an' all. I've thought about it, and seriously.'
    'You can't do that, man, you can't do that; she'll never leave you alone. You know what happened the last time, and the time before that. And she would do it again, just to weigh on your conscience for the rest of your life, because once she's lost Don she won't have much to live for. I'll never know how she has allowed his wedding to come as close as it has.'
    'Well, I can tell you that, Father; I've seen to it.'
    'You have? I must have known all along you had a hand in it, for she would never let go of the reins on her own. I can recall her going to watch him play football on a Saturday and waiting to drive him home, hail, rain or snow.'
    'Yes, in case he spoke to some girl or other. And what do you think of the latest, Father? What do you think she asked me to do tonight?'
    'I couldn't give a guess, Daniel. Tell me.'

    'She didn't only ask, she demanded that I go and find out whether or not he was a virgin!'
    'No. Oh dear God! No.' The priest chuckled.
    'You can laugh, Father, but oh dear God! yes.'
    'What possessed her?'
    'What's always possessed her? The mania