Let Angels Guide Thee On Thy Lofty Quest

by The Avid Musician

When the Vatican police came to Prof. Langdon, he knew that his cousin, Prof. Illyria Di Angeli could help just as much as him, but with the dangers that present themselves in Rome, what will happen to her?

11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Robert, Vitoria, and Illyria all waited in an antechamber. The new pope had asked to see them before they all left. They waited in silence.

A guard came in and said, "Professor Langdon, please." He let them into the room where the new pope was preparing.

Cardinal Strauss walked up to them and handed Langdon what appeared to be an ornate box. "A token of thanks from His Holiness and from his new Camerlengo. We are grateful you saved his life, and it is our understanding that you need this text to complete your scholarly work." Robert opened the box and saw the Galileian text that he had been pinning over for so long. "We ask only that in your Last Will and Testament you ensure it finds its way home."

"Of course," Robert said, still in awe of the gift.

"And when you write of us, and you will write of us, may I ask one thing? Do so gently,"
the Cardinal said.

"I'll try," Robert said.

"Religion is flawed, but only because man is flawed, all man, including this one," the Cardinal went on to saw.

"He chose the name Luke," Vitoria said quietly.

"There's been many Mark's and John's, never a Luke," Robert commented.

"It's said he was a doctor," Strauss informed them.

"That's quite a message: science and faith all in one," Vitoria commented.

"The world is in need of both," Strauss explained.

"You'll council him wisely," Robert said.

"Oh no. I am an old man. I will council him bravely...Mr. Langdon, thanks be to God for sending someone to protect this church," Strauss said.

"I don't believe he sent me, Father," Robert began.

"Oh, my son. Of course he did, and your cousin," Strauss said before turning to look at the pope.

The new pope turned to look at them and nodded before walking out to the balcony to show himself to the world for the first time.

At the same time, a woman walked away from the Vatican with full intentions to never love again. She held that promise for over a year before a not so unfamiliar person returned to her life. She fell in love. She eventually married and became Mrs Prof. Illyria Olivetti, Ph.D, but that is a story for another time.