Chapter 10 10

10 "If you're interested too, let's have a drink!" "Of course, I could have another drink or two." Hughes called in the waiter. "Two glasses of beer, one full, and the other only half a glass." "Sorry, but I don't know if I offended Dr. Knight." "Oh, you don't know he was out last night and almost all day today, and he's better since you've been here. I'm so glad you were so honest with him. I listened to everything you said , that’s why I still have to talk to you in private.” "You said you have something to tell me?"

"Not bad," she said. They waited for the waiter to put the wine away.She offered Randall the full glass, and she drank the half glass, and then she put it down again. "Perhaps you noticed something strange about what he told you?" "Noted." Randall said, "I was thinking about it when I was waiting for you just now. He said that Dr. Jeffries did not keep his promise to him, and that he did not participate in the work of the 'second resurrection' because He doesn't want to self-abuse, he doesn't want to self-destruct. He also mentions being used and not being trusted, etc. I still don't understand why he quit his favorite job just for these unrealistic reasons. So I think he must have other reasons."

"You're quite right," she said bluntly. "There are other reasons, of course, and I think I can tell you some of them, if you can keep it a secret." "I will keep it to myself." "Very well, I don't have much time. I have to go back and see him, and go back to sleep for a while. What I'm going to tell you is entirely for Florian's benefit, so I don't think it's a betrayal." .” "You can rest assured," he reassured, "I will never disclose it to a third party." Her chubby face was solemn, and her voice was solemn and eager. "Mr. Randall, Florian's hearing impairment is worse than it looks, and he keeps talking with people entirely through hearing aids, but it doesn't work very well. So he learned to read the mouth shape of the other person's speech a long time ago. The method of change. He learns everything very quickly, so I believe he is indeed a genius. As far as I know, both ears were damaged when he was a teenager, and the only hope of restoring hearing is surgery and transplantation."

"But will his hearing be fully restored?" "His ear doctor always thinks there is no problem. This surgery may take several times in a row to be successful, so the cost is considerable. What's more, the doctor who was recommended to perform the operation is far away in Switzerland, which is a big problem. It's not something he can afford. Although he is a famous professor at Oxford University and has made great contributions to Dr. Jeffries, his annual salary is only 3,000 pounds. With this little money, he still has to pay for the living expenses of his widowed mother. That shabby apartment is still paying 8 quid a week, so I can't even buy a shabby car. Although I want to help him, but with his personality, he always refuses to accept it, so you can imagine his life situation Now, although Florian was determined to make more money, his ear disease has always troubled him. This is not only a problem of physical hearing impairment, but also a psychological problem. His ear disease caused him unspeakable suffering, so His main purpose is to make more money, to have ear surgery, and then to marry me and start a family. Do you understand this situation now?"

"Yes, I see." "His best hope is that his boss, Dr. Jeffries, will retire early before the 72-year-old limit, which will give him the opportunity to be a professor of Hebrew identification. This has always been a hope, and two years ago, Jeffries Dr. Fries also agreed. In fact, Dr. Jeffries told him that if he would work for him at the British Museum for a period of time, he would retire early and recommend him to succeed him. If he can get a promotion, he can do more. He got everything he wanted with a good salary, and it was on the understanding that he happily dedicated himself to Dr. Jeffries' work. But suddenly he heard a disturbing rumor from a reliable source. On the other hand, Dr. Jeffries changed his mind about not retiring early. The reason was based on his selfish political ambitions. According to what Florian heard, there were discussions about recommending Dr. Jeffries as President of the World Council of Churches. Candidate, in order to add to the prestige of his candidature, he has resolved to extend his position at Oxford as long as possible."

"As political capital?" "Exactly, poor Florian is going mad. But he hasn't been able to prove the lie, so he still has a glimmer of hope that Dr. Jeffries will retire early, as he wishes. And, Florian Since Lorian knew that it was not reliable, he secretly thought of a way to make more money. He has been thinking about publishing a new biography of Jesus based on various existing materials. So two years ago Busy day and night working on his book. The title of his book is "The Ordinary Jesus Christ." A few months ago, the publisher was full of praise and agreed to sign a contract with a large advance payment. Wait until the The manuscript of the whole book is completed, and the money he takes is enough for surgery and even the cost of marriage is not a problem. He has finished writing the book and is making final revisions, and he can hand in the manuscript and sign for payment in two months .He was overjoyed beyond description, but yesterday it all came to naught."

"You mean when Dr. Jeffries told him..." "Just when Dr. Jeffries revealed to him the discoveries in Ostia, the International New Testament is being published and some unknown facts about Jesus are about to be revealed to the world, it is undoubtedly a blow to him. He was stunned. He had poured every ounce of energy into that book in order to fulfill his hopes and dreams. But now, because of that new discovery, that new Bible, his book It's going to be trash. If someone had told him about it two years ago, he wouldn't have wasted so much time and energy. Worse, he knows that Dr. Jeffries himself has destroyed his own work and his career .Do you now feel sympathy for what happened to Florian yesterday, and do you fully understand his refusal to go to work with you in Amsterdam?"

Randall stared blankly and helplessly at the beer in front of him. "That's horrible, it's cruel to have that happen," he finally sighed. "I'm so sorry for Dr. Knight. If it happened to me, I—I really don't. The courage to live on." "He's attempted suicide, too," Hughes slipped consciously. "I—I shouldn't have told you about it, but it's all right. He was so desperate yesterday, that's why he was leaving Jeff. When Dr. Reese came back to the apartment, he swallowed a large number of sleeping pills and lay in bed waiting to die. Fortunately, I promised him that I would come and cook him dinner. I had the key myself. When I opened the door, I found that he had completely disappeared. Perception. As soon as I saw the empty bottles, I called my mother's doctor. I knew he could be trusted because I was delivered by him. As soon as he answered the phone, he came to save Florian's life Thank goodness he was quite ill last night, but is much better today."

Randall reached out and pressed his hand on the girl's impulsively, "Valerie, you don't know how sad I feel." She nodded, "I know how you feel, you're a good person." "I'm sorry I disturbed him tonight, and I have no complaints about him not being able to participate in our work." "Ah, Mr. Randall, you are wrong to say that," Hughes suddenly became excited. "If you hadn't come tonight, I wouldn't be able to tell you what I'm going to say next. I think this is his change." Great time in the mood, he should be busy all day and immerse himself in his work. I think he should be part of your 'second resurrection' project. Before your visit, I thought there was no such thing Opportunity. But when you talked about it, I noticed his expression and reaction, listened to what he said. I knew the voice and tone of his voice, and I could even feel how he really felt. I could hear him Not entirely opposed to the plan, he just has to see it to believe it. I know the signs of resentment and pleasure in him. He was showing signs of that just now, only he won't admit it."

"You mean to say—?" She smiled slightly, and the charming dimple appeared on her cheek again. "I mean he trusts me 100 percent and I can influence him to do anything. Well, I want him to work with you on 'The Second Resurrection'. Although he appears tough on the outside, I trust him Deep down I still want to go. I will find a way to get him to go to Amsterdam with you, and I can almost guarantee that he will. Let's make it a week. He needs this time to recuperate, and then, he will Go with you. Although he will still be reluctant and whiny at first, gradually he will love the job and can solve all your problems for you. Anyway, I promise he will go with you. Thank you You were so patient with him. Oh, I'd better finish the half beer."

It was late when he found a taxi in Amsterdam.He reminded himself not to forget to call Dr. Jeffries, said he had hired a translation consultant, and opened the evening edition of the London Daily Express. On the very first page, the three-column headline throbbed before his eyes: Froomi slams the claim that a new Bible is coming, as neither necessary nor plausible. The newspaper's telegram comes from Amsterdam, and the reporter is Plummer, the newspaper's correspondent in the Netherlands. Randall thought this is great, all the secrets are over.With a beating heart, he took advantage of the dim lights in the car, and then read the content of the report below—— "Plummer had a separate audience with Rev. Frumi, the leader of the Reformation in Amsterdam. According to the priest's reliable information, an international publishing group, supported by several members of the Orthodox Church, based on recent archaeological discoveries, A new "Bible" is being published and is about to be marketed for profit. We don't need yet another new Bible to rationalize religion in this changing world.We need drastic reforms within the religion and within the church itself, that is to say changing the clergy and the interpretation of the Bible, to make religion more meaningful to human beings.In such a time of turmoil, what we need is far from the faith that can be produced by a new Bible, but a man who does justice for heaven.Therefore, we should abandon and resist the relevant anti-belief business practices, and oppose a useless and unreasonable Bible with all our strength. Instead, we should make a rational explanation of Jesus' behavior to meet the needs of the times. " There are many more reports on this point, but there is no specific fact in it, no mention of Ostia Antica, no mention of the "second resurrection", no mention of the International New Testament. name. The pastor had learned only a rumor, and it was a public warning to the Orthodox Church, which he was strenuously against. Randall closed the newspaper, thinking that Wheeler hadn't been exaggerating in what he said about the need for security and secrecy.Now that the mighty Frumi had openly interfered with them, it was foreseeable how difficult the future of this project would be.As one of the members of this plan, he already felt a kind of pressure and threat. He had just agreed to arrange for the angry and disgruntled Knight to go to Amsterdam.If Frumi is the enemy of the Second Resurrection, he will likely recruit Knight, who hates the plan, to work under him. So far, Frumi's influence has not penetrated into the "Second Resurrection".But if Knight arrives in Amsterdam, he may become a Trojan horse in Troy. Randall hesitated for a while, not knowing what to do. He finally decided to pay close attention.He would have to see if this Trojan horse was doomed to remain nothing more than a shell, or to plot to destroy what had become the last hope of Randall's life.