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ame way； in a matter of seconds。 It would take a very clever counterintelligence operation to hurt Nomuri now。
CHAPTER 15
Exploitation
〃What's this mean； Ben？〃 Ryan asked； seeing a change in his morning schedule。
〃Ed and Mary Pat want to talk something over with you。 They didn't say what it was；〃 Goodley replied。 〃The Vice President can be here； too； and me； but that's it； they requested。〃
〃Some new kind of toilet paper in the Kremlin； I suppose；〃 POTUS said。 It was a long…standing CIA joke from Ryan's time in the Bad Old Days of the Cold War。 He stirred his coffee and leaned back in his fortable chair。 〃Okay； what else is happening in the world； Ben？〃
〃So； this is mao…tai？〃 Cardinal DiMilo asked。 He didn't add that he'd been given to understand that Baptists didn't drink alcoholic beverages。 Odd； considering that Jesus' first public miracle had been to change water into wine at the marriage feast at Cana。 But Christianity had many faces。 In any case； the mao…tai was vile； worse than the cheapest grappa。 With advancing years； the Cardinal preferred gentler drinks。 It was much easier on the stomach。
〃I should not drink this；〃 Yu admitted； 〃but it is part of my heritage。〃
〃I know of no passage in Holy Scripture that prohibits this particular human weakness；〃 the Catholic said。 And besides； wine was part of the Catholic liturgy。 He saw that his Chinese host barely sipped at his tiny cup。 Probably better for his stomach； too； the Italian reasoned。
He'd have to get used to the food； too。 A gourmet like many Italians； Renato Cardinal DiMilo found that the food in Beijing was not as good as he'd experienced in Rome's numerous Chinese restaurants。 The problem； he thought； was the quality of the ingredients rather than the cook。 In this case； the Reverand Yu's wife was away in Taiwan to see her sick mother； he'd said； apologizing on the Catholic's arrival。 Monsignor Schepke had taken over the serving； rather like a young lieutenant…aide serving the needs of his general； Yu had thought； watching 'the drama play out with some amusement。 The Catholics certainly had their bureaucratic ways。 But this Renato fellow was a decent sort； clearly an educated man； and a trained diplomat from whom Yu realized he might learn much。
〃So； you cook for yourself。 How did you learn？〃
〃Most Chinese men know how。 We learn from our parents as children。〃
DiMilo smiled。 〃I； as well； but I have not cooked for myself in years。 The older I get the less they allow me to do for myself； eh； Franz？〃
〃I have my duties also； Eminence；〃 the German answered。 He was drinking the mao…tai with a little more gusto。 Must be nice to have a young stomach lining； both the older men thought。
〃So； how do you find Beijing？〃 Yu asked。
〃Truly fascinating。 We Romans think that our city is ancient and redolent with history； but Chinese culture was old before the Romans set one stone upon another。 And the art we saw yesterday。。
〃The jade mountain；〃 Schepke explained。 〃I spoke with the guide； but she didn't know about the artists involved； or the time required to carve it。〃
〃The names of artisans and the time they needed…these were not matters of importance to the emperors of old。 There was much beauty then； yes； but much cruelty as well。〃
〃And today？〃 Renato asked。
〃Today as well； as you know； Eminence；〃 Yu confirmed with a long sigh。 They spoke in English； and Yu's Oklahoma accent fascinated his visitors。 〃The government lacks the respect for human life； which you and I would prefer。〃
〃Changing that will not be simple；〃 Monsignor Schepke added。 The problem wasn't limited to the munist PRC government。 Cruelty had long been part of Chinese culture； to the point that someone had once said that China was too vast to be governed with kindness； an aphorism picked up with indecent haste by the left wings of the world； ignoring the explicit racism in such a statement。 Perhaps the problem was that China had always been crowded； and in crowds came anger； and in anger came a callous disregard for others。 Nor had religion helped。 Confucius； the closest thing China had developed to a great religious leader； preached conformity as a person's best action。 While the Judeo…Christian tradition talked of transcendent values of right and wrong； and the human rights that devolved from them； China saw authority as Society； not God。 For that reason； Cardinal DiMilo thought； munism had taken root here。 Both societal models were alike in their absence of an absolute rule of right and wrong。 And that was dangerous。 In relativism lay man's downfall； because； ultimately； if there were no absolute values； what difference was there between a man and a dog？ And if there were no such difference； where was man's fundamental dignity？ Even a thinking atheist could mark religion's greatest gift to human society： human dignity； the value placed on a single human life； the simple idea that man was more than an animal。 That was the foundation of all human progress； because without it； human life was doomed to Thomas Hobbes's model； 〃nasty； brutish； and short。〃
Christianity…and Judaism； and Islam； which were also religions of The Book…required merely that man believe in that which was self…evident： There was order in the universe； and that order came from a source； and that source was called God。 Christianity didn't even require that a man believe in that idea…not anymore； anyway…just that he accept the sense of it； and the result of it； which was human dignity and human progress。 Was that so hard？
It was for some。 Marxism； in condemning religion as 〃the opiate of the people；〃 merely prescribed another； less effective drug…〃the radiant future；〃 the Russians had called it； but it was a future they'd never been able to deliver。 In China； the Marxists had shown the good sense to adopt some of the forms of capitalism to save their country s economy； but not to adopt the principle of human freedom that usually came along with it。 That had worked to this point； DiMilo thought； only because Chinese culture had a preexisting model of conformity and acceptance of authority from above。 But how long would that last？ And how long could China prosper without some idea of the difference between what was right and what was wrong？ Without that information； China and the Chinese were doomed to perdition。 Someone had to bring the Good News of Jesus to the Chinese； because with that came not only eternal salvation； but temporal happiness as well。 Such a fine bargain； and yet there were those too stupid and too blind to accept it。 Mao had been one。 He'd rejected all forms of religion； even Confucius and the Lord Buddha。 But when he'd lain dying in his bed； what had Chairman Mao thought？ To what Radiant Future had he looked forward then？ What did a munist think on his deathbed？ The answer to that question was something none of the three clergymen wanted to know； or to face。
〃I was disappointed to see the small number of Catholics here…not counting foreigners and diplomats； of course。 How bad is the persecution？〃
Yu shrugged。 〃It depends on where you are； and the political climate； and the personality of the local party leadership。 Sometimes they