Pastwatch- The Redemption Of Christopher Columbus - By Orson Scott Card Page 0,63
and shook his head. "Cristobal," he said, "all educated men are immune to your arguments. They are flimsy, they are meaningless. You are opposed by mathematics and by all the ancients who matter. Kings are immune to your arguments because kings have access to learned men who rip your arguments to shreds."
Columbus was shocked. "If you believe this, Father Antonio, then why do you support me? Why am I welcome here? Why did you help me persuade Don Enrique?"
"I was not convinced by your arguments," said Father Antonio. "I was convinced by the light of God within you. You are on fire inside. I believe only God can put such a fire in a man, and so even though I believe that your arguments are nonsense, I also believe that God wants you to sail west, and so I will help you all I can because I also love God and I also have a tiny spark of that fire in me."
At these words tears sprang into Columbus's eyes. In all the years of study, all the arguments in Portugal, and more recently in Don Enrique's house, no one had shown a sign of having been touched by God in support of his cause. He had begun to think that God had given up on him and was no longer helping him in any way. But now he heard words from Father Antonio -- who was, after all, a greatly learned man with much respect among scholars throughout Europe -- that confirmed that God was, in fact, touching the hearts of good men to make them believe in Columbus's mission.
"Father Antonio, if I did not know what I know, I would not have believed my arguments either," said Columbus.
"Enough of that," said Father Perez. "Never say that again."
Columbus looked at him, startled. "What do you mean?"
"Here at La Rabida, behind closed doors, you can say such a thing, and we will understand. But from now on you must never give anyone even the slightest hint that it is possible to doubt your arguments."
"It is possible to doubt them," said Father Antonio.
"But Columbus must never give a sign that he knows it is possible to doubt them. Don't you understand? If it is God's will that this voyage occur, then you must inspire others with confidence in it. That is what will bring you victory, Columbus. Not reason, not arguments, but faith, courage, persistence, certainty. Those who are touched by the Spirit of God will believe in you no matter what. But how many of those will there be? How many of those have there been?"
"Counting you and Father Antonio," said Columbus, "two."
"So -- you will not win your victory by the force of your arguments, because they are feeble indeed. And the Spirit of God will not overwhelm everyone in your path, because God does not work that way. What do you have in your favor, Cristobal?"
"Your friendship," he said at once.
"And your utter, absolute faith," said Father Perez. "Am I right, Father Antonio?"
Father Antonio nodded. "I see his point. Those who are weak in faith will adopt the faith of those who are strong. Your confidence must be absolute, and then others will be able to hold on to your faith and let it carry them."
"So," said Father Perez. "You never show doubt. You never show even the possibility of doubt."
"All right," said Columbus. "I can do that."
"And you always leave the impression that you know much more than you're telling," said Father Perez.
Columbus said nothing, for he could not tell Father Perez that his statement was the truth.
"This means that you never, never say to anyone, 'These are all my arguments, I've now told you everything I know.' If they ask you direct questions, you answer as if you were only letting a little bit of your knowledge escape. You act as if they should already know as much as you do, and you're disappointed that they do not. You act as if everyone should know the things you know, and you despair of teaching the uninitiated."
"What you're describing sounds like arrogance," said Columbus.
"It's more than arrogance," said Father Antonio, laughing. "It's scholarly arrogance. Believe me, Cristobal, that's exactly how they'll be treating you."
"True enough," said Columbus, remembering the attitude of King Joao's advisers back in Lisbon.
"And one more thing, Cristobal," said Father Perez. "You are good with women."
Columbus raised an eyebrow. This was not the sort of thing he expected to hear from a Franciscan prior.