The Second Coming

you. The several subtruths are: I love your dearest heart. I also love your dear ass, which is the loveliest in all of Carolina. I want your ass, it and no other, and you for the rest of my life, you and no other. I also love to see you by firelight. I will always come to see you at four o’clock every afternoon if only to sit with you if it does not please you to make love—”
    â€œIt pleases me. How about now?”
    â€œâ€”because I love to sit by you and watch your eyes, which see everything exactly as it is. And to watch the line of your cheek. These are separate truths but are also subtruths of the single truth, I love you.”
    â€œYes, they are and it is. I have a separate truth.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI love your mouth. Give it to me.”
    â€œAll right.”
    When they sat up, he said worriedly: “I forgot to take my acid today. I wonder what my pH is.”
    â€œI don’t know,” she said, “but please ascertain it and maintain at the present level, high or low, whichever the case may be.”
    â€œRight,” he said absently. “Is the dog ready?”
    â€œSure. I have packed his food. He can stay in the motel, can’t he?”
    â€œSure.” They looked at the dog. “Let’s go to the car. I’ll drop you and the dog at the motel. Then I have one errand to run. I’ll be back in an hour.”
    â€œVery good.”
    The dog knew he was to go with them and followed without being called.
    12
    Father Weatherbee sat behind Jack Curl’s mahogany desk with its collection of Russian ikons and bleeding Mexican crucifixes. Perched nervously on the edge of his chair, he looked like a timid missionary summoned by his bishop. His eyelid, lip, and collar drooped.
    â€œYes, Mr. Barrett?”
    â€œFather Weatherbee, I know you’re a busy man, so I’ll get right to the point.”
    â€œFine,” said Father Weatherbee, who in fact seemed anxious to get back to the attic and the Seaboard Air Line.
    â€œI intend to be married.”
    â€œVery good! My congratulations!” Father Weatherbee half rose from his chair, perhaps intending to shake hands, then changed his mind, sat down.
    â€œI want you to perform the ceremony.”
    â€œVery good!” Father Weatherbee rose again, sat down. His lip blew a bubble. “Yes, indeed! Well! Father Curl will be back from his ecumenical council next week and I’m sure he’d be pleased to do the ah honors.”
    â€œI want you.”
    â€œOh dear,” said the old priest, leaning in his chair as if he were figuring how to get past him and out. The bleb blew up again. (Was he afraid of taking on the job just as I am afraid of taking a deposition or passing an act of sale?) “Well, let’s see. Are you a member of St. John’s congregation?” he asked, looking for a way out.
    â€œNo, not of St. John’s nor of the Episcopal Church.”
    â€œOh,” said Father Weatherbee, brightening for the first time, relieved. Here was his loophole. “And your fiancée?”
    â€œNo, she’s not a member of this or any church.”
    â€œAh,” said Father Weatherbee, smiling for the first time, off the hook for sure. “Perhaps the thing to do is for one or both of you to take instruction first, and Father Curl is your man for that.”
    â€œNo. I am not a believer and do not wish to enter the church.”
    â€œI see.” The old priest pressed the bleb back and pushed his finger up into his gum. He screwed up one bloodshot eye as if he might yet make sense of this madman. The trouble was catching on to the madness, the madness of the new church, the madness of America, and telling one from the other. “Excuse me, but I don’t seem quite to—”
    â€œThe Jews may or may not be a sign,” said Will Barrett earnestly, leaning halfway across the desk. His pH was rising. When his speedy hydrogen ions departed, so did the Jews. Later, Dr. Ellis would write a scientific article on the subject, entitled: “A Correlation of Plasma pH with Certain Religious Delusions in a Case of Hausmann’s Syndrome.”
    â€œHow’s that again?” asked Father Weatherbee, cupping an ear. Did he say Jews?
    â€œIt may be true that they have not left North Carolina altogether as I had supposed. Yet their numbers are decreasing. In any event, the historical phenomenon of the Jews cannot be