The Temple Read Online Free PDF Page B

be gone!” Jeremiah
called out. “Get thee hence vile affliction that hath blighted this
man’s life. In the name of the Lord I command thee to leave.”
    Jeremiah looked at Mendax with
gleaming eyes. “Thrice did I command, thrice did the Lord aid.
Mendax, my friend, open your eyes. Dare to open your eyes and you
shall see what you see.”
    Mendax slowly opened first one
eye and then the other. There was a look of shock on his face.
    Jeremiah held out four fingers
in front of Mendax’s face. “How many fingers do you see?”
    “I can see,” Mendax called.
“It’s incredible. I can see. There are four fingers, Jeremiah. Oh,
the Lord be blessed thrice over. I can see!”
    Ear deafening cheers filled the
grand hall while black cloth bags quickly appeared yet again. They
were filled with what money was left to be found in wallets and
pockets as well as a large number of cheques made payable to the
Dryvellers’ Temple.
    It was a joyous evening that
Dryvellers would speak of for years to come. And it was a great
personal success for Master Jeremiah who had put so much hard work
and effort into preparing everything.
    After the last Dryveller had
left and the doors were securely closed Jeremiah went to the back
exit where Fraudula and Mendax were waiting for him.
    “Excellent work, you two,”
Jeremiah said with a satisfied smile. “A pity this sort of thing
only works once or your careers would be a sure thing with me.”
    The two actors sniggered and
Jeremiah paid them a thousand in hard currency each. He also threw
in two plane tickets for the same evening to make sure they were
out of town and far away for good.
     
     
     

The Posters
     
    The only time an unjust man
    will scream against
injustice
    is when he is afraid someone
    will practise it on him.
    Plato, The Republic
     
    The following day everyone in
the temple felt elated. Breakfast was an even more cheerful affair
than usual and there was no end of talk about the undeniable fact
that the Lord had blessed their community with two miracles.
    “Come, Sycko,” Jeremiah said
after breakfast. “Let’s go and talk.”
    They went to the grand hall and
sat in the middle. Jeremiah put the sacred top hat on the floor
between them. The shiny black hat contrasted beautifully with the
white square it was on.
    “Now then, Sycko,” Jeremiah said
with a smile, “you have been with us as a novice for some time and
you have made excellent progress, indeed I would say most excellent
progress. There are, however, a few more things before you will be
accepted as a full brother in our holy fraternity. Take this holy
top hat for example. What does it mean to you?”
    “Well, I’m not sure it means
anything to me,” Sycko said with a blank expression on his face. “I
guess it’s black and shiny.”
    “Ah yes, quite right, how very
clever of you. There is more to it though, than at first meets the
eye. It could be said that by wearing this top hat the wearer’s
head acquires a loftier position thus being brought into closer
proximity to the divine.”
    Sycko looked doubtful. “You mean
if I wear it I’m closer to God?”
    “Yes, yes, very good my friend.
Now what I want you to do this morning is to take this top hat for
a perambulation in the park and to reflect upon the divine in this
hat.”
    “A what?”
    Ah, a perambulation, it means a
walk. Go for a walk in the park and think about the hat and God.
That’s simple enough, isn’t it?
    “Oh sure, can I smoke while I’m
enjoying the fresh air?”
    “Yes, of course you may. One
last thing, however. Do make sure you perambulate in a
distinguished manner. An erect bearing and noble gait becoming of
the sacred top hat are essential. You do follow, don’t you?”
    “Yes, that sounds simple
enough.”
    “Very well, then. I’ll see you
later.”
     
    Sycko donned the top hat and
wended his way to the nearby park. He looked at himself admiringly
in the water and decided that together with his black suit and