The Heretic's Apprentice (10 page)

This was a day on which secular and monastic clergy united to do honour to their saint, and chapter was postponed until after High Mass, when the church was open to all the pilgrims who wished to bring their private petitions to her altar, to touch her silver reliquary and offer prayers and gifts in the hope of engaging her gentle attention and benevolence for their illnesses, burdens and anxieties. All day long they would be coming and going, kneeling and rising in the pale, resplendent light of the scented candles Brother Rhun made in her honour. Ever since she had visited Rhun, himself a pilgrim, with her secret counsel, and lifted him out of lameness in her arms, to the bodily perfection of his present radiance, Rhun had made himself her page and squire, and his beauty reflected and testified to hers. For everyone knew that Winifred had been, as her legend said, the fairest maiden in the world in her day.

Everything, in fact, seemed to Brother Cadfael to be working together in perfect accord to make this what it should be, a day of supreme content, without blemish. He went to his stall in the chapter-house well satisfied with the world in general, and composed himself to sit through the day's business, even the most uninteresting details, with commendable attention. Some of the obedientiaries could be tedious enough on their own subjects to send a tired man to sleep, but today he was determined to extend virtuous tolerance even to the dullest of them.

Even to Canon Gerbert, he resolved, watching that superb cleric sail into the chapter-house and appropriate the stall beside the abbot, he would attribute only the most sanctified of motives, whatever fault the visitor might find with the discipline here, and however supercilious his behaviour towards Abbot Radulfus. Today nothing must ruffle the summer tranquillity.

Into this admirable mood a sudden disagreeable wind blew, driven before the billowing skirts of Prior Robert's habit as he strode in with aristocratic nose aloft and nostrils distended, as though someone had thrust an evil-smelling obscenity under them. Such sweeping speed in one so dedicated to preserving his own dignity sent an ominous shiver along the ranks of the brothers, all the more as Brother Jerome was disclosed scuttling in the prior's shadow. His narrow, pallid face proclaimed an excitement half horrified, half gratified.

‘Father Abbot,' declaimed Robert, trumpeting outrage loud and clear, ‘I have a most grave matter to bring before you. Brother Jerome here brought it to my notice, as I must in conscience bring it to yours. There is one waiting outside who has brought a terrible charge against William of Lythwood's apprentice, Elave. You recall how suspect the master's faith was once shown to be; now it seems the servant may outdo the master. One of the same household bears witness that last night, before other witnesses also, this man gave voice to views utterly opposed to the Church's teaching. Girard of Lythwood's clerk, Aldwin, denounces Elave for abominable heresies, and stands ready to maintain the charge against him before this assembly, as is his bounden duty.'

It was said, and could not be unsaid. The word, once launched, has a deadly permanence. This word brought with it a total stillness and silence, as though a killing frost had settled on the chapter-house. The paralysis lasted for some moments before even the eyes moved, swerving from the righteous indignation of the prior's countenance to glide sidelong over Brother Jerome and peer through the open doorway in search of the accuser, who had not yet shown himself, but waited humbly somewhere out of sight.

Cadfael's first thought was that this was no more than another of Jerome's acidities, impulsive, ill-founded and certain to be refuted as soon as enquiry was made. Most of Jerome's mountains turned out molehills on examination. Then he looked round to read Canon Gerbert's austere face, and knew that this was a far graver matter, and could not be lightly set aside. Even if the archbishop's envoy had not been present to hear, Abbot Radulfus himself could not have ignored such a charge. He could bring reason to bear on the proceedings that must follow, but he could not halt them.

Gerbert would clench his teeth into any such deviation, that much was certain from the set of his lips and the wide, predatory stare of his eyes, but at least he had the courtesy to leave the first initiative here to the abbot.

‘I trust,' said Radulfus, in the dry, deliberate voice that indicated his controlled displeasure, ‘that you have satisfied yourself, Robert, that this accusation is seriously meant, and not a gesture of personal animosity? It might be well, before we proceed further, to warn the accuser of the gravity of what he is doing. If he speaks out of some private spite, he should be given the opportunity to think better of his own position, and withdraw the charge. Men are fallible, and may say on impulse things quickly regretted.'

‘I have so warned him,' said the prior firmly. ‘He answers that there are two others who heard what he heard, and can bear witness as he can. This does not rest simply on a dispute between two men. Also, as you know, Father, this Elave returned here only a few days ago, the clerk Aldwin can have no grudge against him, surely, in so short a time.'

‘And this is the same who brought home his master's body,' Canon Gerbert cut in sharply, ‘and showed even then, I must say, certain rebellious and most questionable tendencies. This charge must not pass as leniently as the lingering suspicions against the dead man.'

‘The charge has been made, and apparently is persisted in,' agreed Radulfus coldly. ‘It must certainly be brought to question, but not here, not now. This is a matter for the seniors only, not for novices and the younger brothers among us. Am I to understand, Robert, that the accused man as yet knows nothing of what is charged against him?'

‘No, Father, not from me, and certainly not from the man Aldwin, he came secretly to Brother Jerome to tell what he had heard.'

‘The young man is a guest in our house,' said the abbot. ‘He has a right to know what is said of him, and to answer it fully. And the other two witnesses of whom the accuser speaks, who are they?'

‘They belong to the same household, and were present in the hall when these things were spoken. The girl Fortunata is a fosterchild to Girard of Lythwood, and Conan is his head shepherd.'

‘They are both still here within the enclave,' put in Brother Jerome, eagerly helpful. ‘They attended Mass, and are still in the church.'

‘This matter should be dealt with at once,' urged Canon Gerbert, stiff with zeal. ‘Delay can only dim the memories of the witnesses, and give the offender time to consider his interests and run from trial. It is for you to direct, Father Abbot, but I would recommend you to do so immediately, boldly, while you have all these people here within your gates. Dismiss your novices now, and send word and summon those witnesses and the man accused. And I would give orders to the porters to see that the accused does not pass through the gates.'

Canon Gerbert was accustomed to instant compliance with even his suggestions, let alone his orders, however obliquely expressed, but in his own house Abbot Radulfus went his own way.

‘I would remind this chapter,' he said shortly, ‘that while we of the Order certainly have a duty to serve and defend the faith, every man has also his parish priest, and every parish priest has his bishop. We have here with us the representative of Bishop de Clinton, in whose diocese of Lichfield and Coventry we dwell, and in whose cure accused, accuser and witnesses rest.' Serlo was certainly present, but had said not a word until now. In Gerbert's presence he went in awe and silence. ‘I am sure,' said Radulfus with emphasis, ‘that he will hold, as I do, that though we may be justified in making a first enquiry into the charge made, we cannot proceed further without referring the case to the bishop, within whose discipline it falls. If we find upon examination that the charge is groundless, that can be the end of the matter. If we feel there is need to proceed further with it, then it must be referred to the man's own bishop, who has the right to deal with it by whatever tribunal he sees fit to appoint.'

‘That is truth,' said Serlo gallantly, thus encouraged to follow where he might have hesitated to lead. ‘My bishop would certainly wish to exercise his writ in such a case.'

A judgement of Solomon, thought Cadfael, well content with his abbot. Roger de Clinton will be no better pleased to have another cleric usurping his authority in his diocese than Radulfus is to see any man, were it the archbishop himself, leave alone his envoy, twitching the reins away from him here. And young Elave will probably have good reason to be glad of it before all's done. Now how did he come to let down his guard so rashly with witnesses by, after one fright already past?

‘I would not for the world trespass upon the ground of Bishop de Clinton,' said Gerbert, hastily jealous for his own good repute, but not sounding at all pleased about it. ‘Certainly he must be informed if this matter proves to be true substance. But it is we who are faced with the need to probe the facts, while memories are fresh, and put on record what we discover. No time should be lost. Father Abbot, in my view we should hold a hearing now, at once.'

‘I am inclined to the same opinion,' said the abbot drily. ‘In the event of the charge turning out to be malicious or trivial, or untrue, or simply mistaken, it need then go no further, and the bishop will be spared a grief and an aggravation, no less than the waste of his time. I think we are competent to probe out the difference between harmless speculation and wilful perversion.'

It seemed to Cadfael that that indicated pretty clearly the abbot's view of the whole unfortunate affair, and though Canon Gerbert had opened his mouth, most probably to proclaim that even speculation among the laity was itself harm enough, he thought better of it, and clenched his teeth again grimly on the undoubted reserve he felt about the abbot's attitude, character and fitness for his office. Men of the cloth are as liable to instant antipathies as are ordinary folk, and these two were as far apart as east from west.

‘Very well,' said Radulfus, running a long, commanding glance round the assembly, ‘let us proceed. This chapter is suspended. We will summon it again when time permits. Brother Richard and Brother Anselm, will you see all the juniors set to useful service, and then seek out those three people named? The young woman Fortunata, the shepherd Conan, and the accused man. Bring them here, and say nothing as to the cause until they come before us. The accuser, I take it,' he said, turning upon Jerome, ‘is already here without.'

Jerome had lingered in the shadow of the prior's skirts all this time, sure of his righteousness but not quite sure of the abbot's recognition of it. This was the first encouragement he had received, or so he read it, and visibly brightened.

‘He is, Father. Shall I bring him in?'

‘No,' said the abbot, ‘not until the accused is here to confront him. Let him say what he has to say face to face with the man he denounces.'

*

Elave and Fortunata entered the chaper-house together, open of face, puzzled and curious at being summoned thus, but plainly innocent of all foreboding. Whatever had been said unwisely at last night's gathering, whatever she was expected to confirm against the speaker, it was perfectly clear to Cadfael that the girl had no reservations about her companion, indeed the very fact that they came in together, and had obviously been found together when the summons was delivered, spoke for itself. The expectancy in their faces was wondering but unthreatened, and Aldwin's accusation, when it was uttered, would come as a shattering blow not to the young man only, but to the girl as well. Gerbert would certainly have one reluctant witness, if not a hostile one, Cadfael reflected, conscious of his own heart's alerted and partisan sympathy. Conscious, too, that Abbot Radulfus had noted, as he had, the significance of their trusting entrance, and the wondering look they exchanged, smiling, before they made their reverence to the array of prelates and monastics before them, and waited to be enlightened.

‘You sent for us, Father Abbot,' said Elave, since no one else broke the silence. ‘We are here.'

The ‘we' says it all, thought Cadfael. If she had any doubts of him last night, she has forgotten them this morning, or thought them over and rejected them. And that is valid evidence, too, whatever she may be forced to say later.

‘I sent for you, Elave,' said the abbot with deliberation, ‘to help us in a certain matter which has arisen here this morning. Wait but a moment, there is one more has been summoned to attend.'

He came in at that moment, circumspectly and in some awe of the tribunal before him, but not, Cadfael thought, ignorant of its purpose. There was no open-eyed but unintimidated wonder in Conan's weathered, wary, rosily comely face, and noticeably he kept his eyes respectfully upon the abbot, and never cast a glance aside at Elave. He knew what was in the wind, he came prepared for it. And this one, if he discreetly showed no eagerness displayed no reluctance, either.

‘My lord, they told me Conan is wanted here. That's my name.'

‘Are we now ready to proceed?' demanded Canon Gerbert impatiently, stirring irritably in his stall.

‘We are,' said Radulfus. ‘Well, Jerome, bring in the man Aldwin. And Elave, stand forward in the centre. This man has somewhat to say of you that should be said only in your presence.'

The name alone had jolted both Fortunata and Elave, even before Aldwin showed his face in the doorway, and came in with a resolution and belligerence that were not native to him, and probably cost him an effort to maintain. His long face was set in lines of arduous determination, a man naturally resigned and timorous bent on going through with an enterprise that called for courage. He took his stand almost within arm's length of Elave, and jutted an aggressive jaw at the young man's shocked stare, but there were drops of sweat on his own balding forehead. He spread his feet to take firm grip on the stones of the floor, and stared back at Elave without blinking. Elave had already begun to understand. By her bewildered face Fortunata had not. She drew back a pace or two, looking searchingly from one man's face to the other, her lips parted on quickened breath.