[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
decides the case, they dare nor try and reverse the judgement. Mind you, I think we must
charge special
- 217 -
fees for holding the court at such short notice. Those farms at Southridge, for instance,
and the mill at Walkford, especially as my secretary has done so much work over this
case."
He struck a bell, and the sub prior entered. "Has Brother Stephen come in yet?
Did you bring what I wanted from the house of the leech?"
"No, my lord abbot," answered the sub-prior. "We have searched the whole town,
but Brother Stephen is not to be found, and Satan is missing from the stables."
"Satan missing!" roared the abbot. "Fools! Have all the stablemen flogged! Send
out mounted men to scour all the roads! He shouldn't have taken Satan without my leave.
Well, though, he must come back sometime, and when he does, send him straight to me. I
wonder what he is up to," he muttered half to himself; then to Jan: "Drink up, Sir Jan."
He turned his bright eyes to the sub-prior. "Now, what got ye at the leech's house?
Didst get what I sent you for?"
"No, my lord," answered the sub-prior, "only these books and what lie in this
bundle here. Some instruments of magic, I ween, and some books on astrology and on
healing and some worthless poems and worldly books, but naught could we find on
magic and naught on restoring youth or the lusts of the flesh."
The abbot considered, and turned to Jan. "Tell me, Sir Jan, you knew this Thur.
Men say that he brought an old woman into his house and by his magic arts made her
young again. Dost know aught of this?"
"There was no magic used," said Jan, "save feeding a starving girl and medicining
a sick one, no magic in that, I ween. "
"Well, where is the girl?" said the abbot to the sub-prior. "I told you to bring her to
me. I would question her strictly. "
"She's not to be found either," said the sub prior.
"Oh, ho, I see!" laughed the abbot. "Well, well, I see, but he really shouldn't have
taken Satan for his junketing, and he always pretended the lasses were nothing to him.
I'm very angry with him. Well, well. I only wish I. was as young as he. "
Turning to Jan, he said: "I crave your pardon, Sir Jan, there are little matters of
abbey discipline. Now I beg you to drain a cup of wine with me, and then perchance, you
have some affairs of your own to attend to. 'Tis late. I trust you will do me the honour of
staying at the abbey this night, and will sup with me. We will call the Court Christian on
the morrow," and the abbot started examining Thur's goods like a child with new toys.
"More wine. Drink up Sir Jan. Now about tomorrow, I wish that confounded Stephen
were not off on his junketings, but I think I remember the main points. After all is settled
here, and registered in
- 218 -
the abbey court records, he advises you to take copies of these records to the king's court
and pay a fine on them. Anything will do. If you want money, I will give you a good price
for Highcliffe Farm or Sumerford. They never question anyone wanting to pay them
money, not in these days! The king's receipt gives a legal guarantee and makes the thing
final, in case any other claimant should turn, up, in which case he will himself be baulked
from the start. Have some more wine, Sir Jan. Now, you'll wish to make the usual
offerings to the abbey for prayersh" (Jan realised that for the past few minutes the abbot's
speech had been thickening) "hic ... and for the soulsh of your relationsh who so
unhappily recently died . ... hic!"
"Then there need be no more fighting?" gasped Jan.
"My dear boy," deprecated the abbot, "the lasht thing we want in these times is
fighting ... hic ... we are all men of peashe. An old family quarrel has at last been amic ...
amic ... happily settled: You will take your plashe in the county, and we hope we will
never hear anything . more about fightingsh and warsh ... let bygonsh be bygonsh ..."
Jan realised that by now, the worthy abbot was decidedly the worse for the wine
he had taken, and looked wonderingly at the sub-prior who chuckled: "My lord is always
like this about this time o' night, but what .. . he says is sooth. Brother Stephen has
bothered himself mightily over your case, and 'tis all clear. The abbot will be as sober as a
judge when he presides in that capacity on the morrow.' The parchments are all ready.
You will make your claim, and it will be granted, and nobody there to argue about it."
He indicated that Jan should take his leave, but as the abbot was sunk into a
stupor, Jan crept quietly out, and away to seek Morven, leaving the dreaming abbot
muttering about "Eliksher of life ... the shtone ..." and the non-return of Brother Stephen.
* * *
Meanwhile, Morven, accompanied by the faithful Simon Pipeadder, lay hidden in
the bushes, eagerly watching the road. Suddenly.' they heard hoof-beats, and a horseman
appeared round the bend from the direction of the town. For a moment she hoped it was
Jan, but as the rider drew near, she recognised him as Brother Stephen.
Morven ran out, calling his name, and at sight of her he drew rein so suddenly that
he nearly pulled the magnificent black horse over backwards. "I am glad I could say
'Farewell' to you," he said softly, "for I go on a, long journey indeed."
"Hast news of Jan?" gasped the tortured girl.
Thy Jan is all right," smiled Stephen. "He will have his castle and. .
- 219 -
lands with no trouble, for I have attended to that matter. As for me, I ride to Lothair,
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]