Summary

Homeward, p. 169 – 198. Eusebio reacts with silent bemusement to what his wife is saying, wondering to himself how the Pope might react to claims such as those made by his wife. Maria concludes by talking about the difficulty of marrying faith (“How does one live an eternal idea in a daily way?”) and reason (“Reason, on its own, leads us nowhere, especially in the face of adversity”) (165), offering the mystery stories of Agatha Christie as the ultimate example of how to do so. She also says that in sharing her ideas with him, she has offered him a gift, a way to look at his favorite reading material in a helpful, life-illuminating way. He struggles to find the words to be grateful, reminding himself (as he embraces her) of just how much she has given him to be grateful for. She prepares to go...