Abbot's Passion Read Online Free PDF Page B

courtyard. As ever he was clutching his notebook to his chest.
    ‘Good day to you, brother,’ I smiled at him benevolently. ‘Is your master not with you? I thought you were inseparable.’
    Fidele seemed surprised at being addressed directly. Perhaps he rarely was which might explain his reticence. But he did have a voice, and a surprisingly manly one despite his childlike features.
    He shrugged. ‘ Je regrette, maître, je ne comprends pas .’
    ‘Oh, I think you understand well enough. You followed what we were saying in Abbot Samson’s study all right.’ I nodded at his notebook. ‘Still got your little book of secrets, I see. What are they, recipes for disaster?’
    He pulled the notebook even tighter against his chest. ‘The abbot-legate will be here presently, maître .’
    Just as he said this Eustache appeared on the far side of the abbey grounds from the direction of the necessarium.
    ‘He seems to spend a lot of time in the latrines,’ I said to Fidele. ‘Water trouble is it? Come brother, you don’t have to be discreet with me, I’m a doctor. There’s nothing you can tell me I haven’t already heard.’
    ‘It is no secret that the abbé has une pierre au rein .’
    ‘Bladder stones!’ I pulled a face. ‘Nasty. There’s only one cure for that. You insert a metal hook up the male member, break the stone into pieces and then extract the shards one by one via the same route. Excruciatingly painful. Tell the abbot-legate I’d be delighted to attempt it for him if he wishes.’
    Fidele looked at me blankly. ‘The procedure you describe, maître , is that of Ammonius Lithotomos, and it has already been attempted with limited effect.’
    I was impressed. ‘Is there anything you don’t know, brother?’
    ‘Not much.’
    ‘W-where’s Jocellus?’ Jocelin said watching the abbot’s approach with trepidation. ‘He should be here b-by now.’
    As he said it Jocellus suddenly appeared - just in time before Eustache reached us.
    ‘God be th-thanked,’ said Jocelin with relief.
    ‘Sorry I’m late,’ he said, breathless. ‘Merchants!’
    ‘My apologies for keeping you waiting, brothers,’ said Eustache arriving. ‘We are all here, I see. Good. Then a quick prayer to the Saviour to bless our enterprise before we go, I think.’ He closed his eyes. ‘ Permettez, seigneur, que la lumière de votre sagesse doit briller sur ceux que nous affrontons aujourd'hui en votre nom. ’
    We all responded with a subdued “Amen”.
    ‘Well if we are ready,’ smiled Eustache, ‘the market is this way I believe.’
     
    The route to the market took us across the Mustowe and directly up the hill from the abbey gate. Mass was just finishing in the parish church of Saint James as we passed and worshippers were beginning to emerge onto the street. They watched in bemusement as five monks hurried past them like little piggies all in a row. The abbot-legate led the way followed by Fidele, then me, then Jocellus and finally bringing up the rear Jocelin, the oldest. The road was uneven and the jarring was doing nothing to help my toothache. Whatever concoction Joseph had given me in that herbal tea was beginning to wear off. It didn’t help my temper.
    ‘Father, is it really necessary to go so fast?’ I asked him.
    ‘We make haste to do God’s work, brother,’ the abbot replied without slackening his pace. ‘There is an infection in the body ecclésiastique and the sooner it is cut out the sooner it is cured. I should have thought you as a physician would know this.’
    ‘It’s only a market, father, not a canker.’
    Eustache waved an arm in the direction of the gawping worshippers blinking at us in the daylight. ‘Do you see all these happy faces? They smile because they have just been filled with the word of God. It is all the nourishment they need.’
    More likely amusement at the sight of us, I thought.
    ‘In all honesty, father, I doubt whether there will be anyone in the marketplace now. It’s