CHAPTER 4

CARLOS CARDEÑAS TOOK HIS usual breakfast – bread with cheese from Minas Gerais and melted cheese and drank a soft drink called Tubaína –, an addiction he had acquired since he first took it in a football match that he had organized to raise funds for a charity in São Paulo. A small town called Campo Limpo Paulista in the mid-early nineties.

Carlos took a very hot shower soon after. It was almost ten degrees, which was not much, if you count on the European winter you came from, you changed and went to the university to teach.

ON THAT SPECIAL DAY, nothing happened out of the ordinary, except for the often impertinent questions from his grandson Henrique – who had just entered university, thanks to a little help from him, since he hated to study, and if he depended on his grandson, he would live at the expense of his grandfather for the rest of his mediocre life.

–– As everyone knows – said Henrique standing in front of all the students, trying to get attention like a presenter of a Roman show – you are a Mason, could you tell us more about that?

–– If I didn't know you well, Rico – that's what he called him since he was a child – I would say that he is trying to get attention like a spoiled little child he always was.

–– You didn't answer my question, Professor Grandpa – he said sarcastically, without worrying about what his grandfather said about him.

Carlos Cardeñas realized that the whole room was extremely quiet – which was a miracle, coming from that particular group.

–– Okay... – he started with a friendly smile on his face – I'm a Mason, yes, I'm in the thirty-third degree, which is the highest Masonic degree known.

–– What do you preach there? Is it a church? A religious cult? What secret do they hide from humanity?

Cardeñas laughed as few of those teenagers would laugh in his life, for him, that was more of a joke than a question.

Secrets... – he thought having fun with that – it always comes down to that, the history of humanity in our hands and everyone calls it secrets...

–– There was never any secret, Rico – he paused trying to recover from the crisis of laughter – nor are we a church, much less a religious sect, everything we share is what they have available in libraries and internet sites, just do a basic search on Pai Google and see for yourself. The "such" secret that everyone imagines is the knowledge that has been passed down from master to disciple over time. In the Middle Ages, especially, these secrets were prohibited by the "Holy Inquisition".

–– There is nothing about Santa – said a student in front of the teacher, laughing at his own joke.

Only he laughed.

–– They have their reasons for calling you a saint, and we are not the ones to judge that, but, going back to that "secret" – the teacher made a face and made the quotation mark with both hands –, that you so much yearns to know, Rico, is pure marketing bored of the clergymen of the time who wanted to impress people to believe their accusations, people like to create legends, we Masons, we are one of them.

Henrique Cardeñas was embarrassed in front of all his classmates for not being able to leave his grandfather without action in front of everyone.

–– Any more questions about Freemasonry? – Said the teacher solicitously for the whole class.

–– Let's see... – said the student who was at Henry's side, trying to choose his words well – if there is nothing too much in Freemasonry, why is it so persecuted by Catholics?

–– This is simple, Eduardo – said the professor adjusting his glasses, took a deep breath and started the explanation –, because of a simple profiteer named Leo Taxil, his real name was Gabriel Antoine Jogand Pagès. Taxil – as he liked to be called – had been initiated in Freemasonry, was expelled as an apprentice. In revenge, he ended up inventing a "highly secret" Masonic order called Palladium – so secret that it existed only in his fertile imagination. Supposedly commanded by Albert Pike, a Grand Master of Freemasonry well known at the time. Its objective was to reveal to society the "such" mysterious and evil Order. He became famous for this and won an audience with Pope Leo VIII in 1887. Thus, the Catholic Church happily financed his campaign and the edition of his books.

"Leo Taxil's book launch pamphlet could see Baphomet with some modifications and a Masonic apron covering the phallus. The book "The Mysteries of Freemasonry", describes a group of devilish Freemasons who dance around Baphomet pulled by an ex-priest, none other than the famous and late "Father of Baphomet", Eliphas Lévi – who died in 1875. Leo Taxil made a lot of money, including from the Vatican, deceiving all sorts of believers".

"Finally, on April 19, 1897, in a reading room, Taxil would introduce such a Miss Vaughan, who in fact never existed, renouncing Satan and converting to Catholicism. The church eagerly awaited such a presentation. On that date, the hall was packed with people from the Catholic high clergy, Freemasons and journalists. After a huge verbiage, full of twirls, Taxil then finally said that he had nothing to reveal, because there had never been such a "Palladium Order". It was a huge turmoil. In fact, Taxil had fabricated the entire story, a monumental farce at the expense of the church. In the end, they called the police so that the spirits were controlled and everything did not end in an immense fight and smash-break. Taxil died ten years later, in 1907, at the age of fifty-three."

"And this is how the fame got, since Catholics did not correct the mistake and did not apologize for the misunderstanding that Taxil caused. Any more questions?"

The students were silent, despite not knowing much about all the mystique that generated the term "Freemasonry", that in itself was already good for them at that time.

CARLOS CARDEÑAS WAS AT HIS TABLE correcting some work when the signal for the change of class rang, his grandson came close to him.

–– Send it well, grandpa, one day I want to be like you.

–– No jokes, Rico, why do you like to make people silly in front of everyone?

–– I was just curious, Grandpa, can't you ask?

–– May, as long as it is for knowledge, and not for useless and childish fun, you are at the most prestigious university in Brazil, does it cost to take advantage of it? Do you know how many people would give their lives for their children to be studying here?

–– It does cost, Grandpa, as long as I chose my own path.

–– Which way? The vagrancy? This is already full of Brazil.

–– I don't want to talk about it anymore, I was wondering if you could give me some money to go out with the guys?

–– It depends...

–– It depends?

–– How much your grade at work – he said without looking at his grandson, while correcting the work.

–– But it is you who will correct it, you can give the grade you want.

–– I give the grade I deserve – I said in a harsher tone –, especially to you, who should be the best student in the college for being my grandson, I have an image and name to watch over, but with this way of living you are ruining your that it took me a lifetime to build.

–– It is not because you are the best in the world in something that I have to be too.

–– But you also don't have to work so hard to be a zero on the left, Rico.

While Henrique Cardeñas snorted with his buttons, Carlos Cardeñas corrected the work.

–– How much do you need? – Said Carlos Cardeñas with the friendliest smile in the world.

–– I need two hundred conto.

–– Cool, it will take only fifty "short stories" for your note, when you learn to speak properly and get decent notes, it will take two hundred "reais".

–– But, grandpa...

Without answering anything, the grandfather opened his wallet and placed the note on the table and walked away, calmly satisfied with himself.

Henrique took the note, quickly put it in his pocket and ran desperately after his grandfather.

–– Grandpa, I need two hundred, help me, go...

Carlos Cardeñas replied nothing, just walked quietly whistling some song and greeting everyone who passed by.

THE TEACHER ARRIVED to the car, Henrique was still begging for the rest of the price, but he just gave his grandson a simple smile, stroked his already messy hair, kissed his forehead and got in the car.

Before starting the car, the grandfather said:

–– Rico, I would like a small favor from you.

–– What is it this time, grandpa?

–– I would like you to never forget the story I always told you about our family.

–– The story of the guardians?

–– Promise?

–– Of the most ridiculous things in my past I will never forget.

Carlos Cardeñas hid the disappointment he felt at that moment from the boy and said goodbye to his grandson.

As soon as he started the car, he hurried out to meet his old companion.