Sorry about the previous post and the non-ascii chars.
Here's another try after a conversion. Hope this works.
======================
Paris, November, 1585.
rCyForgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been nine years
since my last confession.rCO
From beyond the latticework screen came a sharp inhal-
ation through teeth, barely audible. For a long time, it seemed
as if he would not speak. You could almost hear the echo
bouncing through his skull: nine years?
rCyAnd what has happened to keep you so far from GodrCOs
grace, my son?rCO
That slight nasal quality to his voice, it coloured everyrCo
thing he said with an unfortunate sneer, even on the rare
occasions where none-was intended.
rCyAh, Father rCo Where to begin? I was caught reading
forbidden books in the privy by my prior, I abandoned the
Dominican , order without permission to avoid the
Inquisition, for Which offence I' was-excommunicated by
the last Pope; I have Written and published books ques-
tioning the authority of the Holy Scr1ptures and the Church
Fathers, I have publicly attacked Aristotle and defended
the cosmology of Copernicus, I have been accused of heresy
and necromancyrCorCO a swift pause to draw breath rCo rCyI have
frequently sworn oaths and taken the LordrCOs name in vain,
I have envied my friends, lain with women, and brought
about the death of more than one person rCo though, in my
defence, those cases were complicated.rCO
rCyAnything else?rCO Openly sarcastic now.
rCyOh rCo- yes. 1 have also borne false witness. Too many times
to count.rCy Including this confession.
A prickly silence unfolded. Inside the confessional, nothing
but the familiar scent of old wood and incense, and the slow
dance of dust motes, disturbed only by our breathing, his
and mine, visible in the November chill. A distant door
slammed, the sound ringing down the vaulted stone of the
nave.
rCyWill you give me penance?rCO
He made an impatient noise. rCyPenance? You could endow
a cathedral and walk to Santiago on your knees for the rest
of your natural life, it would barely scratch the surface.
BesidesrCorCO the wooden bench creaked as he shifted his weight
rCo- rCyhavenrCOt you forgotten something, my son?rCO
rCyI may have left out some of the detail,rCO I conceded.
rCyOtherwise werCOd be here till Judgement Day.rCO
rCyI meant, I have not yet heard you say, rCLFor these and all
the sins of my past life, I ask pardon of God.rCY Because, in
your heart, you are not really contrite, are you? You are, it
seems to me, quite proud of this catalogue of iniquity.rCO
rCyShould we add the sin of pride, then, while I am here?
Save me coming back?rCO
A further silence stretched taut across the minutes. His
face was pressed close to the grille; I knew he was looking
straight at me.
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