Read Online Brother Cadfael 08: The Devil's Novice by Ellis Peters - Free Book Online
Authors: Ellis Peters
Ads: Link
eyes lowered, but for one spark of a glance for the horse; he did not ask anything.
'Was that the only occasion when you had to do with him? He comes to you readily. Fondle him if you will, he's asking for your recognition.'
'It was I stabled and groomed and tended him, that night,' said Meriet, low-voiced and hesitant. 'And I saddled him in the morning. I never had his like to care for until then. I ... I am good with horses.'
'So I see. Then you have also handled his gear.' It had been rich and fine, the saddle inlaid with coloured leathers, the bridle ornamented with silver-work now dinted and soiled. 'All this you recognise?'
Meriet said: 'Yes. This was his.' And at last he did ask, almost fearfully: 'Where did you find Barbary?'
'Was that his name? His master told you? A matter of twenty miles and more north of here, on the peat-hags near Whitchurch. Very well, young sir, that's all I need from you. You can go back to your duties now.'
Round the water-troughs in the lavatorium, over their ablutions, Meriet's fellows were making the most of his absence. Those who went in dread of him as a soul possessed, those who resented his holding himself apart, those who felt his silence to be nothing short of disdain for them, all raised their voices clamorously to air their collective grievance. Prior Robert was not there, but his clerk and shadow, Brother Jerome, was, and with ears pricked and willing to listen.
'Brother, you heard him youself! He cried out again in the night, he awoke us all ... '
'He howled for his familiar. I heard the demon's name, he called him Barbary! And his devil whistled back to him ... we all know it's devils that hiss and whistle!'
'He's brought an evil spirit in among us, we're not safe for our lives. And we get no rest at night ... Brother, truly, we're afraid!'
Cadfael, tugging a comb through the thick bush of grizzled hair ringing his nut-brown dome, was in two minds about intervening, but thought better of it. Let them pour out everything they had stored up against the lad, and it might be seen more plainly how little it was. Some genuine superstitious fear they certainly suffered, such night alarms do shake simple minds. If they were silenced now they would only store up their resentment to breed in secret. Out with it all, and the air might clear. So he held his peace, but he kept his ears pricked.
'It shall be brought up again in chapter,' promised Brother Jerome, who thrived on being the prime channel of appeal to the prior's ears. 'Measures will surely be taken to secure rest at nights. If necessary, the disturber of the peace must be segregated.'
'But, brother,' bleated Meriet's nearest neighbour in the dortoir, 'if he's set apart in a separate cell, with no one to watch him, who knows what he may not get up to? He'll have greater freedom there, and I dread his devil will thrive all the more and take hold on others. He could bring down the roof upon us or set fire to the cellars under us ... "
'That is want of trust in divine providence," said Brother Jerome, and fingered the cross on his breast as he said it. 'Brother Meriet has caused great trouble, I grant, but to say that he is possessed of the devil -'
'But, brother, it's true! He has a talisman from his demon, he hides it in his bed. I know! I've seen him slip some small thing under his blanket, out of sight, when I looked in upon him in his cell. All I wanted was to ask him a line in the psalm, for you know he's learned, and he had something in his hand, and slipped it away very quickly, and stood between me and the bed, and wouldn't let me in further. He looked black as thunder at me, brother, I was afraid! But I've watched since. It's true, I swear, he has a charm hidden there, and at night he takes it to him to his bed. Surely this is the symbol of his familiar, and it will bring evil on us all!'
'I cannot believe ... ' began Brother Jerome, and broke off there, reconsidering the scope of his own credulity. 'You have
'Was that the only occasion when you had to do with him? He comes to you readily. Fondle him if you will, he's asking for your recognition.'
'It was I stabled and groomed and tended him, that night,' said Meriet, low-voiced and hesitant. 'And I saddled him in the morning. I never had his like to care for until then. I ... I am good with horses.'
'So I see. Then you have also handled his gear.' It had been rich and fine, the saddle inlaid with coloured leathers, the bridle ornamented with silver-work now dinted and soiled. 'All this you recognise?'
Meriet said: 'Yes. This was his.' And at last he did ask, almost fearfully: 'Where did you find Barbary?'
'Was that his name? His master told you? A matter of twenty miles and more north of here, on the peat-hags near Whitchurch. Very well, young sir, that's all I need from you. You can go back to your duties now.'
Round the water-troughs in the lavatorium, over their ablutions, Meriet's fellows were making the most of his absence. Those who went in dread of him as a soul possessed, those who resented his holding himself apart, those who felt his silence to be nothing short of disdain for them, all raised their voices clamorously to air their collective grievance. Prior Robert was not there, but his clerk and shadow, Brother Jerome, was, and with ears pricked and willing to listen.
'Brother, you heard him youself! He cried out again in the night, he awoke us all ... '
'He howled for his familiar. I heard the demon's name, he called him Barbary! And his devil whistled back to him ... we all know it's devils that hiss and whistle!'
'He's brought an evil spirit in among us, we're not safe for our lives. And we get no rest at night ... Brother, truly, we're afraid!'
Cadfael, tugging a comb through the thick bush of grizzled hair ringing his nut-brown dome, was in two minds about intervening, but thought better of it. Let them pour out everything they had stored up against the lad, and it might be seen more plainly how little it was. Some genuine superstitious fear they certainly suffered, such night alarms do shake simple minds. If they were silenced now they would only store up their resentment to breed in secret. Out with it all, and the air might clear. So he held his peace, but he kept his ears pricked.
'It shall be brought up again in chapter,' promised Brother Jerome, who thrived on being the prime channel of appeal to the prior's ears. 'Measures will surely be taken to secure rest at nights. If necessary, the disturber of the peace must be segregated.'
'But, brother,' bleated Meriet's nearest neighbour in the dortoir, 'if he's set apart in a separate cell, with no one to watch him, who knows what he may not get up to? He'll have greater freedom there, and I dread his devil will thrive all the more and take hold on others. He could bring down the roof upon us or set fire to the cellars under us ... "
'That is want of trust in divine providence," said Brother Jerome, and fingered the cross on his breast as he said it. 'Brother Meriet has caused great trouble, I grant, but to say that he is possessed of the devil -'
'But, brother, it's true! He has a talisman from his demon, he hides it in his bed. I know! I've seen him slip some small thing under his blanket, out of sight, when I looked in upon him in his cell. All I wanted was to ask him a line in the psalm, for you know he's learned, and he had something in his hand, and slipped it away very quickly, and stood between me and the bed, and wouldn't let me in further. He looked black as thunder at me, brother, I was afraid! But I've watched since. It's true, I swear, he has a charm hidden there, and at night he takes it to him to his bed. Surely this is the symbol of his familiar, and it will bring evil on us all!'
'I cannot believe ... ' began Brother Jerome, and broke off there, reconsidering the scope of his own credulity. 'You have
Similar Books
