Read Online Where the Stones Sing by Eithne Massey - Free Book Online
Authors: Eithne Massey
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nothing. She had already answered five questions this morning. She didn’t want to seem too much of a teacher’s pet.
‘It comes from Navis , of course, meaning ship. Because when you look up, you could be looking into the bottom of a ship. And because, as I said, it carries us all safe to the Lord. Really children, I don’t know if anything goes into your heads at all.’
‘But the Elysian fields, Brother. Do they have horses there?’ persisted Jack.
‘Ah, the Elysian Fields. A pagan notion, but one which shows how close the virtuous pagans could come to the idea of Paradise. They were the fields where heroes went after death, so called from the Greek word meaning “reeds”, for reeds grew in them. It was a place of eternal happiness, where good people walked and talked together and were at peace. And no doubt, Jack, in your Elysian fields there would be horses. In mine, there would be a library and a great deal of singing. And Kai, what would you have in yours?’
Kai thought hard. ‘A house. A nice square stone house and a garden. A garden with flowers and birds. And of course everyone I love.’
There was a derisive snort from Roland, seated behind her.
‘You talk like a girl!’ he sneered. ‘And I suppose you will be sitting there in heaven, wearing a dress, doing embroidery in your pretty garden! With a sweet little pussy cat at your feet!’
‘That’s enough, Roland,’ said Brother Albert sharply. ‘What about you, Tom?’
Tom had to be poked hard by Kai. He had been asleep. He didn’t know what the question was and Brother Albert sighed and moved on.
‘And what about you, Roland? What would be in your Elysian Fields?’
Roland snorted. ‘I don’t believe in such rubbish. It certainly wouldn’t be up to much if any of you were there with me!’
Brother Albert sighed again.
‘Uncalled for and unpleasant, Roland. I fear you have become like the child in the story, unable to open your mouth without toads jumping out. I would like you to write for me, in Latin, a description of what you see in your paradisal landscape. We will discuss it at class tomorrow.’
Roland scowled at Kai. She whispered to Jack, ‘Look at him, he’s blaming me for getting him into trouble. As if he wasn’t able to be totally obnoxious without any help at all from anyone else.’
The bell for the midday meal rang out. Jack jumped from his seat, nearly knocking the bench over.
Brother Albert sighed again. ‘And Jack, try not to make quite so much noise as you leave the room. I don’t know how many times I have had to tell you to go quietly.’
After their meal, it was time for them to go to sing in the cathedral, in the side chapel of the White Mary of Dublin. The chapel held a small oak statue of the Virgin Mary, and every day fresh flowers were placed in front of it. This was where Dame Maria had asked to have her son remembered. Today Dame Maria herself was already there, praying, and Jack whispered to Kai, ‘She’s always there when we arrive. Sometimes Tom and I have thought we have seen her lips moving, as if she’s speaking to someone.’
‘Maybe she’s just praying?’ suggested Kai.
Tom shook his head. ‘No, she has her head on one side, as if she is listening for something – or someone – as well as talking.’
Brother Albert frowned at the children to be quiet, but Kai watched Dame Maria, and it was true that she did sometimes look as if she were listening to something or someone. By the end of the service she looked much more at peace than at the beginning, as if she had somehow been comforted. She usually stayed and talked to the children and Brother Albert. She always remembered to bring some sweetmeats or fruit from her garden for them. After this, the children were free until supper, and after supper there was the final office of the day which the children sang with the monks.
Kai soon made good friends with Jack and Tom. Jack was the more adventurous of the two; if there was
‘It comes from Navis , of course, meaning ship. Because when you look up, you could be looking into the bottom of a ship. And because, as I said, it carries us all safe to the Lord. Really children, I don’t know if anything goes into your heads at all.’
‘But the Elysian fields, Brother. Do they have horses there?’ persisted Jack.
‘Ah, the Elysian Fields. A pagan notion, but one which shows how close the virtuous pagans could come to the idea of Paradise. They were the fields where heroes went after death, so called from the Greek word meaning “reeds”, for reeds grew in them. It was a place of eternal happiness, where good people walked and talked together and were at peace. And no doubt, Jack, in your Elysian fields there would be horses. In mine, there would be a library and a great deal of singing. And Kai, what would you have in yours?’
Kai thought hard. ‘A house. A nice square stone house and a garden. A garden with flowers and birds. And of course everyone I love.’
There was a derisive snort from Roland, seated behind her.
‘You talk like a girl!’ he sneered. ‘And I suppose you will be sitting there in heaven, wearing a dress, doing embroidery in your pretty garden! With a sweet little pussy cat at your feet!’
‘That’s enough, Roland,’ said Brother Albert sharply. ‘What about you, Tom?’
Tom had to be poked hard by Kai. He had been asleep. He didn’t know what the question was and Brother Albert sighed and moved on.
‘And what about you, Roland? What would be in your Elysian Fields?’
Roland snorted. ‘I don’t believe in such rubbish. It certainly wouldn’t be up to much if any of you were there with me!’
Brother Albert sighed again.
‘Uncalled for and unpleasant, Roland. I fear you have become like the child in the story, unable to open your mouth without toads jumping out. I would like you to write for me, in Latin, a description of what you see in your paradisal landscape. We will discuss it at class tomorrow.’
Roland scowled at Kai. She whispered to Jack, ‘Look at him, he’s blaming me for getting him into trouble. As if he wasn’t able to be totally obnoxious without any help at all from anyone else.’
The bell for the midday meal rang out. Jack jumped from his seat, nearly knocking the bench over.
Brother Albert sighed again. ‘And Jack, try not to make quite so much noise as you leave the room. I don’t know how many times I have had to tell you to go quietly.’
After their meal, it was time for them to go to sing in the cathedral, in the side chapel of the White Mary of Dublin. The chapel held a small oak statue of the Virgin Mary, and every day fresh flowers were placed in front of it. This was where Dame Maria had asked to have her son remembered. Today Dame Maria herself was already there, praying, and Jack whispered to Kai, ‘She’s always there when we arrive. Sometimes Tom and I have thought we have seen her lips moving, as if she’s speaking to someone.’
‘Maybe she’s just praying?’ suggested Kai.
Tom shook his head. ‘No, she has her head on one side, as if she is listening for something – or someone – as well as talking.’
Brother Albert frowned at the children to be quiet, but Kai watched Dame Maria, and it was true that she did sometimes look as if she were listening to something or someone. By the end of the service she looked much more at peace than at the beginning, as if she had somehow been comforted. She usually stayed and talked to the children and Brother Albert. She always remembered to bring some sweetmeats or fruit from her garden for them. After this, the children were free until supper, and after supper there was the final office of the day which the children sang with the monks.
Kai soon made good friends with Jack and Tom. Jack was the more adventurous of the two; if there was
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