The letter is written on a sheet of homily paper—stationery with an empty column on the left side, where a priest can record the gospel passages he’s preaching on. I gave Ugo a sheaf of this paper as a tool for comparing verses, and this particular sheet appears to have been used for that purpose, leaving the impression that Ugo was writing in a rush and grabbed the first thing at hand. I wonder why.
3 August 2004
Dear Simon,
Mark 14:44–46
You’ve been telling me for several weeks now that
John 18:4–6
this meeting wouldn’t be postponed—not even if
Matthew 27:32
you were away on business. Now I realize you were
John 19:17
serious. I could tell you I’m ready for it, but I’d be
Luke 19:35