ad pedes Sanctitatis Vestrae humillime provolutus. The concluding formula is indicated by its opening words: Et Deus . . . expressing the prayer of blessing which the grateful petitioner addresses in advance to God for the expected favor.
“After introduction, body, and conclusion of the petition have been duly drawn, the sheet is evenly folded length-wise, and on its back, to the right of the fold line, are indited the date of the presentation and the petitioner’s name.
“The presentation of petitions is generally made through an agent, whose name is inscribed in the right-hand corner on the back of the petition. This signature is necessary because the agent will call for the grant, and the Congregations deliver rescripts to no one but the agent whose name is thus recorded. The agents, furthermore, pay the fee and taxes for the requested rescripts of favor, give any necessary explanations and comments that may be required, and are at all times in touch with the authorities in order to correct any mistakes or defects in the petitions. Between the hours of nine and one o’clock the agents gather in the offices of the Curial administration to hand in new petitions and to inquire about the fate of those not yet decided. Many of them also go to the anterooms of secretaries in order to discuss important matters personally with the leading officials.
“For lay persons it is as a rule useless to forward petitions through the mails to the Roman Congregations, because as a matter of principle they will not be considered. Equally useless, of course, would be the enclosing of postage stamps with such petitions. Applications by telegraph are not permitted because of their publicity. Nor are decisions ever given by telegraph.”
Alexandra stopped reading.
“Jesus Christ!” Henrietta said.
“This wine is piss,” Alexandra said.
“You needn’t drink it then.”
“I’ll have another glass.”
“You wanted me to buy California wine,” Henrietta said.
“But there’s no reason to buy absolute vinegar, is there? I mean couldn’t you have asked the man at the store?”
“They don’t always tell the truth.”
“I remember that time in Chicago,” Alexandra said. “That was a good bottle. And afterwards . . .”
“How much did we pay for that bottle?” Henrietta asked, incuriously.
“Twelve dollars. Or ten dollars. Ten or twelve.”
“The hotel,” Henrietta said. “Snapdragons on the night table.”
“You were . . . exquisite.”
“I was mature,” Henrietta said.
“If you were mature then, what are you now?”
“More mature,” Henrietta said. “Maturation is a process that is ongoing.”
“When are you old?” Alexandra asked.
“Not while love is here,” Henrietta said.
Henrietta said: “Now I am mature. In maturity I found a rich world beyond the pale and found it possible to live in that world with a degree of enthusiasm. My mother says I am deluded but I have stopped talking to my mother. My father is dead and thus has no opinion. Alexandra continues to heap up indulgences by exclaiming ‘Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!’ which is worth an indulgence of fifty days each time it is exclaimed. Some of the choicer ejaculations areworth seven years and seven quarantines and these she pursues with the innocent cupidity of the small investor. She keeps her totals in a little book. I love her. She has to date worked off eighteen thousand years in the flames of Purgatory. I tell her that the whole thing is a shuck but she refuses to consider my views on this point. Alexandra is immature in that she thinks she will live forever, live after she is dead at the right hand of God in His glory with His power and His angels and His whatnot and I cannot persuade her otherwise. Joseph Conrad will live forever but Alexandra will not. I love her. Now we are going out.”
Henrietta and Alexandra went walking. They were holding each other’s arms. Alexandra moved a hand sensuously with a circular motion around
“After introduction, body, and conclusion of the petition have been duly drawn, the sheet is evenly folded length-wise, and on its back, to the right of the fold line, are indited the date of the presentation and the petitioner’s name.
“The presentation of petitions is generally made through an agent, whose name is inscribed in the right-hand corner on the back of the petition. This signature is necessary because the agent will call for the grant, and the Congregations deliver rescripts to no one but the agent whose name is thus recorded. The agents, furthermore, pay the fee and taxes for the requested rescripts of favor, give any necessary explanations and comments that may be required, and are at all times in touch with the authorities in order to correct any mistakes or defects in the petitions. Between the hours of nine and one o’clock the agents gather in the offices of the Curial administration to hand in new petitions and to inquire about the fate of those not yet decided. Many of them also go to the anterooms of secretaries in order to discuss important matters personally with the leading officials.
“For lay persons it is as a rule useless to forward petitions through the mails to the Roman Congregations, because as a matter of principle they will not be considered. Equally useless, of course, would be the enclosing of postage stamps with such petitions. Applications by telegraph are not permitted because of their publicity. Nor are decisions ever given by telegraph.”
Alexandra stopped reading.
“Jesus Christ!” Henrietta said.
“This wine is piss,” Alexandra said.
“You needn’t drink it then.”
“I’ll have another glass.”
“You wanted me to buy California wine,” Henrietta said.
“But there’s no reason to buy absolute vinegar, is there? I mean couldn’t you have asked the man at the store?”
“They don’t always tell the truth.”
“I remember that time in Chicago,” Alexandra said. “That was a good bottle. And afterwards . . .”
“How much did we pay for that bottle?” Henrietta asked, incuriously.
“Twelve dollars. Or ten dollars. Ten or twelve.”
“The hotel,” Henrietta said. “Snapdragons on the night table.”
“You were . . . exquisite.”
“I was mature,” Henrietta said.
“If you were mature then, what are you now?”
“More mature,” Henrietta said. “Maturation is a process that is ongoing.”
“When are you old?” Alexandra asked.
“Not while love is here,” Henrietta said.
Henrietta said: “Now I am mature. In maturity I found a rich world beyond the pale and found it possible to live in that world with a degree of enthusiasm. My mother says I am deluded but I have stopped talking to my mother. My father is dead and thus has no opinion. Alexandra continues to heap up indulgences by exclaiming ‘Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!’ which is worth an indulgence of fifty days each time it is exclaimed. Some of the choicer ejaculations areworth seven years and seven quarantines and these she pursues with the innocent cupidity of the small investor. She keeps her totals in a little book. I love her. She has to date worked off eighteen thousand years in the flames of Purgatory. I tell her that the whole thing is a shuck but she refuses to consider my views on this point. Alexandra is immature in that she thinks she will live forever, live after she is dead at the right hand of God in His glory with His power and His angels and His whatnot and I cannot persuade her otherwise. Joseph Conrad will live forever but Alexandra will not. I love her. Now we are going out.”
Henrietta and Alexandra went walking. They were holding each other’s arms. Alexandra moved a hand sensuously with a circular motion around
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