“Lost his faith in humanity in the trenches of Verdun” — last line of an SF story Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30 pm US/Eastern) Favorite questions and answers from first quarter of 2019 Latest Blog Post: FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention (Spring 2019)The last human and a last-of-his-kind alien escape the destruction of EarthShort story: super computers save humanityLast line: “I've finally gotten down to The Basics!”Short utopic story where robots “save” humanityShort story with last line about wearing a knurled capStory whose final line is “Let there be light!”Short story about a slower-than-light interstellar ship carrying the last seeds of humanityStory of lost tech but magic manifestsStory with dome-cities and the last horse being lost in transport accident60s, or earlier, story featuring the last living tree on Earth

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“Lost his faith in humanity in the trenches of Verdun” — last line of an SF story



Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30 pm US/Eastern)
Favorite questions and answers from first quarter of 2019
Latest Blog Post: FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention (Spring 2019)The last human and a last-of-his-kind alien escape the destruction of EarthShort story: super computers save humanityLast line: “I've finally gotten down to The Basics!”Short utopic story where robots “save” humanityShort story with last line about wearing a knurled capStory whose final line is “Let there be light!”Short story about a slower-than-light interstellar ship carrying the last seeds of humanityStory of lost tech but magic manifestsStory with dome-cities and the last horse being lost in transport accident60s, or earlier, story featuring the last living tree on Earth



.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty margin-bottom:0;








23















I read this long story (novella?) a couple of decades ago, I believe, and probably in one of the SF magazines. There's a good chance this was in F&SF of the time.



It involves a priest who was an ex-soldier of WWI. He resides in a abbey that conceals a room that gives accurate visions of the future to one person in a generation who sits in it and dreams. He was that person for his time.



The next person in the line of oracles, so to speak, is a young woman who is drawn to that abbey. Stuff happens, the priest resists telling her about the room, but in the end she finds out -- by going into the room and seeing the world ending in nuclear war.



She accosts the priest and asks him why he didn't do anything, why didn't he use the room to guide humanity away from that terrible ending he also knew about.



His response was, "I lost my faith in humanity in the trenches of Verdun." (Obviously I am misremembering the exact quote as googlemind knows nothing about that.)



Does that ring a bell with anyone?




44 years, not a couple of decades. A powerful story, for me to remember it after reading it just once.










share|improve this question






























    23















    I read this long story (novella?) a couple of decades ago, I believe, and probably in one of the SF magazines. There's a good chance this was in F&SF of the time.



    It involves a priest who was an ex-soldier of WWI. He resides in a abbey that conceals a room that gives accurate visions of the future to one person in a generation who sits in it and dreams. He was that person for his time.



    The next person in the line of oracles, so to speak, is a young woman who is drawn to that abbey. Stuff happens, the priest resists telling her about the room, but in the end she finds out -- by going into the room and seeing the world ending in nuclear war.



    She accosts the priest and asks him why he didn't do anything, why didn't he use the room to guide humanity away from that terrible ending he also knew about.



    His response was, "I lost my faith in humanity in the trenches of Verdun." (Obviously I am misremembering the exact quote as googlemind knows nothing about that.)



    Does that ring a bell with anyone?




    44 years, not a couple of decades. A powerful story, for me to remember it after reading it just once.










    share|improve this question


























      23












      23








      23


      4






      I read this long story (novella?) a couple of decades ago, I believe, and probably in one of the SF magazines. There's a good chance this was in F&SF of the time.



      It involves a priest who was an ex-soldier of WWI. He resides in a abbey that conceals a room that gives accurate visions of the future to one person in a generation who sits in it and dreams. He was that person for his time.



      The next person in the line of oracles, so to speak, is a young woman who is drawn to that abbey. Stuff happens, the priest resists telling her about the room, but in the end she finds out -- by going into the room and seeing the world ending in nuclear war.



      She accosts the priest and asks him why he didn't do anything, why didn't he use the room to guide humanity away from that terrible ending he also knew about.



      His response was, "I lost my faith in humanity in the trenches of Verdun." (Obviously I am misremembering the exact quote as googlemind knows nothing about that.)



      Does that ring a bell with anyone?




      44 years, not a couple of decades. A powerful story, for me to remember it after reading it just once.










      share|improve this question
















      I read this long story (novella?) a couple of decades ago, I believe, and probably in one of the SF magazines. There's a good chance this was in F&SF of the time.



      It involves a priest who was an ex-soldier of WWI. He resides in a abbey that conceals a room that gives accurate visions of the future to one person in a generation who sits in it and dreams. He was that person for his time.



      The next person in the line of oracles, so to speak, is a young woman who is drawn to that abbey. Stuff happens, the priest resists telling her about the room, but in the end she finds out -- by going into the room and seeing the world ending in nuclear war.



      She accosts the priest and asks him why he didn't do anything, why didn't he use the room to guide humanity away from that terrible ending he also knew about.



      His response was, "I lost my faith in humanity in the trenches of Verdun." (Obviously I am misremembering the exact quote as googlemind knows nothing about that.)



      Does that ring a bell with anyone?




      44 years, not a couple of decades. A powerful story, for me to remember it after reading it just once.







      story-identification novella






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Apr 19 at 7:29







      Walt Donovan

















      asked Apr 18 at 23:46









      Walt DonovanWalt Donovan

      1787




      1787




















          1 Answer
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          active

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          21














          This is "The Custodians" (1975) by Richard Cowper.



          You've remembered the gist of it quite well - the abbey, the prophetic room, the young woman, the fact that it appeared in F&SF.



          The quote isn't quite as you recall, nor is it the last line, though it's near the end. It's not a spoken line but ruminations in the mind of the priest, Spindrift. It actually reads




          ...Spindrift's God had died in the mud of Ypres.




          or maybe it's the line




          ...some vital spark of humanity had been extinguished far back in the
          blood-stained ruins of 1917.




          But the point is as you remembered, this prevents him from taking any action to ward off Armageddon.






          share|improve this answer

























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            1 Answer
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            active

            oldest

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            active

            oldest

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            active

            oldest

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            21














            This is "The Custodians" (1975) by Richard Cowper.



            You've remembered the gist of it quite well - the abbey, the prophetic room, the young woman, the fact that it appeared in F&SF.



            The quote isn't quite as you recall, nor is it the last line, though it's near the end. It's not a spoken line but ruminations in the mind of the priest, Spindrift. It actually reads




            ...Spindrift's God had died in the mud of Ypres.




            or maybe it's the line




            ...some vital spark of humanity had been extinguished far back in the
            blood-stained ruins of 1917.




            But the point is as you remembered, this prevents him from taking any action to ward off Armageddon.






            share|improve this answer





























              21














              This is "The Custodians" (1975) by Richard Cowper.



              You've remembered the gist of it quite well - the abbey, the prophetic room, the young woman, the fact that it appeared in F&SF.



              The quote isn't quite as you recall, nor is it the last line, though it's near the end. It's not a spoken line but ruminations in the mind of the priest, Spindrift. It actually reads




              ...Spindrift's God had died in the mud of Ypres.




              or maybe it's the line




              ...some vital spark of humanity had been extinguished far back in the
              blood-stained ruins of 1917.




              But the point is as you remembered, this prevents him from taking any action to ward off Armageddon.






              share|improve this answer



























                21












                21








                21







                This is "The Custodians" (1975) by Richard Cowper.



                You've remembered the gist of it quite well - the abbey, the prophetic room, the young woman, the fact that it appeared in F&SF.



                The quote isn't quite as you recall, nor is it the last line, though it's near the end. It's not a spoken line but ruminations in the mind of the priest, Spindrift. It actually reads




                ...Spindrift's God had died in the mud of Ypres.




                or maybe it's the line




                ...some vital spark of humanity had been extinguished far back in the
                blood-stained ruins of 1917.




                But the point is as you remembered, this prevents him from taking any action to ward off Armageddon.






                share|improve this answer















                This is "The Custodians" (1975) by Richard Cowper.



                You've remembered the gist of it quite well - the abbey, the prophetic room, the young woman, the fact that it appeared in F&SF.



                The quote isn't quite as you recall, nor is it the last line, though it's near the end. It's not a spoken line but ruminations in the mind of the priest, Spindrift. It actually reads




                ...Spindrift's God had died in the mud of Ypres.




                or maybe it's the line




                ...some vital spark of humanity had been extinguished far back in the
                blood-stained ruins of 1917.




                But the point is as you remembered, this prevents him from taking any action to ward off Armageddon.







                share|improve this answer














                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Apr 19 at 13:00

























                answered Apr 19 at 4:33









                Organic MarbleOrganic Marble

                26.8k494136




                26.8k494136



























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