The Studs Lonigan Trilogy - James T. Farrell [317]
“The part of our ritual dealing with blood sacrifice also has its purpose. It should reinforce in your memories the lessons and glories of the Christian martyrs, and the grace and glory which shine resplendent upon him who earns the crown of martyrdom. It should inform you that when you come into this Order you come as a man prepared to defend his faith, his honor, and his country, to struggle to the utmost for these sacred causes as the needs require it. These are the principles on which this Order was founded, and on which it stands to date. And we believe that the best way of informing you of these principles, instead of merely telling them to you in a dry sermonizing talk, is by contriving a ritual of initiation which will inculcate them upon your minds in an unforgettable way.
“You have proven yourselves, and I am proud to welcome you in fraternal spirit into the Order of Christopher. Your conduct here this afternoon demonstrates to us that you have in you the best stuff of which Catholic American manhood is made. You have shown yourself ready to defend the faith, to sacrifice yourselves, to practice the virtue of charity. I am sure that our association in this Council of the Order of Christopher will be happy, enriching to our personal lives, fruitful in our mutual participation in the larger life of our Order, our Church, our city, and our great nation. I know that all of you, in joining us, will contribute your share to the manifold works which the Order of Christopher performs.
“As a final word, let me express the confident hope that you will appear regularly at our meetings, get acquainted with older members, and that you will immediately join the various phases of our activities for which you are individually the most suited.
“I will now administer the oath of admission. Raise your right hands, please!”
Studs raised his right hand, and in a mood of solemnity, repeated a simple oath pledging secrecy and the defense of his faith and his country.
VII
“I kind of suspected that it wasn’t the real goods all along,” a fellow in the lavatory line-up said amidst a rattle of conversation.
“It’s clever. Only I didn’t suspect it for a minute. I fell, hook, line and sinker.”
“Me, now, did I play chump.”
“You’re McCarthy, aren’t you? You were a very good candidate, though.”
“And say, are my kidneys floating?”
“I didn’t think it was all hoax until the guy shagged McCarthy down the middle aisle. Only I wish that when he pulled that fainting act he found another target,” Studs said to the fellow behind him, revealing his blood-stained coat lapel and shirt.
“I didn’t, either. The fellow who thought it up, whoever he was, was a smart man. I give him credit!” the fellow replied to Studs.
“They pulled it off so neat,” Studs marvelled.
“The master-of-ceremonies is a brainy man. His talk at the end there, it was really inspiring, and made you understand just what the Order of Christopher means.”
“I know him. He’s Judge Gorman,” Studs said with pride.
“He must be smart as a whip.”
“I knew from the start it was all hooey.”
“And say, was I ready to stand up and give three cheers when that long-nose ended his spiel?”
“I’m just waiting for the next initiation, when I can see some new chumps go through the mill like I did, and laugh behind a black robe, thinking how there are lads dumber than I was.”
“Jesus, this place smells like a... ”
“Yes, just like a crapper. Ain’t that funny? And you know what flowers smell like? They smell like flowers.”
“Dumb, hell! McCarthy, you’re the stuff that the best of Catholic American manhood is made of. Didn’t he