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.” He was breathing more unevenly when he finished, but he felt a degree of satisfaction.“God will not permit us to do nothing and then seek the rewards of Paradise."Cardinal Belroche raised his shaggy eyebrows.“You've had some schooling, haven't you, Padre? And you believe that you may challenge Avignon in this way? You are not very wise, for all your learning.""I did not.mean to challenge you, Illustrissimi.” He looked toward the floor, smarting with acute embarrassment.The Cardinal snorted, then went on.“Still, it may be that you have discovered some new incursion, and it would not be proper for us to ignore it entirely.That way lies defeat.""Yes, that is what I feared,” Père Guibert seconded him, glad to find an opportunity to take advantage of the Cardinal's good will."Not as I have feared it, but in your way, you have some little concept of what threatens us, I suppose.” The Cardinal lifted up the vellum and peered at it.“I cannot spare you much.If it were possible to give you more aid, then it would be done, but you realize that we are cautious men here.” He crossed himself.“God guides our hand, and we are His servants."The two priests made the sign of the cross, waiting to hear what the Cardinal had decided."There is a bishop, recently elevated to his office, whose town was most harshly treated by the heretics not so long ago.He is dedicated to the eradication of the evil Rome has visited on us, and will be able, perhaps, to assist you in dealing with the Sisters.” He cleared his throat.“The man is Évêque Amalrie Tordrer, and I will send my page to him this evening, so that arrangements may be made to begin this.investigation.If a full Process is warranted, it will be for Évêque Amalrie to decide."Père Guibert was on his feet before Cardinal Belroche had finished.“Oh, a thousand thanks, Illustrissimi.We are grateful to you, more than you will know, for it is what we had hoped for.” He fell to his knees, crossed himself, and began to pray."My page will show you to the chapel, where you may return thanks to God more properly,” Cardinal Belroche said hastily.“It is commendable that you display your humility, but your words are for God."As he looked up, Père Guibert had tears in his eyes.“You are His instrument, Illustrissimi, and it is fitting that you should know how indebted we are to you.""It is for the Church that this is being done,” Cardinal Belroche said impatiently.“Both of you are aware of that.” He gestured for them to depart, and endured the ritual of his ring being kissed with ill humor.“Be on guard for men from Rome, good priests.They trouble me far more than a few nuns who scream in the night.""Yes.Of course,” Padre Bartolimieu promised, adding to Père Guibert as they left the Cardinal's apartments and passed the armed guards, “It may be that he is correct in his assessment.You and I, mon Père, have been so close that we cannot see all that the Church must contend with.We may have permitted ourselves to act precipitously."Père Guibert frowned at the other man.“It hardly matters now, does it, since it will be for Évêque Amalrie to determine if there is a demon.” He walked a little faster, annoyed at himself for being irritated by the Cardinal.It was impossible for him to believe that Belroche was truly indifferent, no matter how he had behaved.“Whatever problems beset the Church,” he said, hoping to convince himself, “they must be grave; otherwise our message would have been given more attention."Behind him, Padre Bartolimieu shuddered.“Be grateful for our insignificance, mon Père.It has saved us as surely as la Virge died chaste."* * * *Évêque Amalrie was younger than Père Guibert had expected him to be—hardly more than thirty, with a smooth, moon face that was marred by high, disdainful eyebrows and an arch of his small lips that hinted at unsatisfied appetites.He met Père Guibert and Padre Bartolimieu the day after they had spoken to Cardinal Belroche, in the ambulatory of la Eglise de Saunt Antoine not far from the Papal palace."I will bring a page with me, and Frère Renaut to record what we learn.There will be a wagon ready to take my suite the day after tomorrow, if that is soon enough for you?” The brows rose even higher."We will accommodate you as we may, mon Évêque,” Padre Bartolimieu assured him without looking at Père Guibert.“It is an honor that a man of your high rank should condescend to aid us in your travail.The Sisters, I know, will extend grateful prayers upon arrival."The Bishop pouted.“I had hoped to aid Avignon here, where there is so much intrigue and turmoil.But Cardinal Belroche and Pope Clement have ruled otherwise and I am obedient to their wishes.” He paused for a moment.“I have read the message you sent to the Cardinal concerning the troubles at the convent.""We are sad to have caused you any distress,” Padre Bartolimieu said, wishing there were a way he could stop his tongue from such betrayal; he did not like the young Bishop, but he still deferred to him."Any fall from the grace of God must cause me distress,” he said, and turned to Père Guibert.“You are silent, mon Père.Is there anything you wish to tell me, or have you fallen into reverie, as the heroes of old were said to do?"Père Guibert shook his head.“Your forgiveness, mon Évêque.I was concerned for the nuns.We have been gone several days and it troubles me that they should be left alone for so long when they have endured so much already.""Very wise.Women are subject to visitations of the spirit more than men, and they are not strong in reason.You have doubtless encountered much difficulty because of their natures.You must not forget that when in sin, they are subtle and sly, indulging their vices because they delight in repeating the errors of Mother Eve.” He folded his hands in front of him.“The wise man remembers this when dealing with women.""These are sincere nuns, most of them,” Père Guibert said, wanting to defend them without contradicting Évêque Amalrie."It is for the shame of their sex that they become religious [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]