The Book Without Words Part 12

"Set it down," said Thorston. While Sybil retreated into a corner to watch, he ate ravenously until nothing remained.

Odo woke and stared at Thorston who, when he finished eating, went to his worktable. As he pa.s.sed, Odo leaned toward him. "Master," he called, "I'm glad you are well."

"Why shouldn't I be well?" snapped Thorston.

"Do you remember who I am?"

"An old goat who thinks he is a raven."

Odo shook his head and ruffled his tail feathers.

For a while, Thorston studied the Book Without Words. Then he picked up an iron bottle, only to put it down and examine something else.

Odo fluttered to Sybil's shoulder. "He's no sweeter than he was-only younger," he whispered.

Damian and Alfric emerged from the back room, yawning and stretching. When they saw Thorston awake and moving about, they joined Sybil and Odo.

"By Saint Walburga, he is is alive," mumbled Damian. "It was no bad dream." alive," mumbled Damian. "It was no bad dream."

"Was it magic that did it?" asked Alfric.

"I think so," said Sybil.

"Why don't you ask him?" said Damian.

Before the boy could reply, a knocking burst upon the lower door.

Alfric s.n.a.t.c.hed at Sybil's hand. "It must be Bashcroft."

"G.o.d's mercy," Sybil whispered. "I forgot his promise to return."

As the knocking became more insistent, she looked to see if Thorston would respond. At first he did not. Only when the knocking continued did he shout, "There's someone at the door."

"It's most likely the reeve, sir," said Sybil.

"The reeve? Why is he coming here? What does he want?" When no one answered, Thorston flung down the tool he'd been examining and headed down the steps. Sybil, along with the others, rushed after him.

Thorston went to the door, lifted the crossbar, pulled it open a few inches, and peeked out through the crack. Bashcroft was there, standing in the rain.

"What do you want?" Thorston demanded.

"I am Ambrose Bashcroft, the city reeve of Fulworth. And you, I presume, are Master Thorston."

"Perhaps."

"It has been rumored that you are an alchemist."

"What business is it of yours?"

"Alchemy," proclaimed Bashcroft, "is both unnatural and illegal. Since you do not deny being a pract.i.tioner of that nefarious art, you are hereby commanded to provide me with your gold-making secret. If you do not, you'll suffer grave consequences. Dura lex, sed lex. Dura lex, sed lex. The law is hard, but it is the law. And since I am the law, it therefore follows that I must be hard." He rapped his staff-of-office down like an exclamation point. "Have I made myself clear?" The law is hard, but it is the law. And since I am the law, it therefore follows that I must be hard." He rapped his staff-of-office down like an exclamation point. "Have I made myself clear?"

"You have."

"Very well, then, what shall you do?"

Thorston remained still for a moment-considering. The next moment he banged the door shut and replaced the crossbar.

"Stop!" came the reeve's cry. "You're committing a crime. Let me in." He pounded on the door. "The least you shall do is let me have my boy. Do you hear me! I shall hang you all!"

Thorston, ignoring the shouts, retreated up the steps. Sybil and the others followed. When he reached the top room, Thorston started toward his worktable, only to halt halfway. "Sybil!" he cried.

"Yes, Master."

"I'm plagued with danger. Where are the stones?"

"What is he talking about?" Damian asked Odo.

The raven did not answer.

"I must hurry!" cried Thorston, louder. "I told you to care for them. Fetch them."

"Yes, Master." Sybil went to the chest at the foot of the bed, knelt, opened it, pulled out the three green stones and held them out on the flat of her palm. Thorston took the largest and put it into his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. He stood there, as if waiting.

"But how can-" began Damian.

"Shhh!" commanded Sybil.

In a few moments, Thorston said, "I'm weary. Let no one disturb me." He went to his bed, lay down, composed himself with hands clasped over his chest, and shut his eyes.

After a few moments, Odo fluttered across the room and hopped onto the bed. He studied Thorston's face intently. Then he turned to the others and said, "He's dead-again."

4.

"Are you certain?" said Sybil.

The bird jumped onto Thorston's chest and leaned close enough so that his beak all but touched Thorston's nose. "Not a breath," he announced. "He's as dead as ... dead."

"It's not normal for a person to die twice," twice," said Damian. said Damian.

"Mistress," said Alfric, "you gave him something just before he died. What was it?"

Sybil sighed. "A stone."

"He ate a stone?" stone?" cried Damian. "No wonder he died." cried Damian. "No wonder he died."

"It doesn't seem to have changed him," said Odo.

"But there must be some some difference between being alive or dead," said Damian. difference between being alive or dead," said Damian.

Sybil shrugged. "In truth, my life has been a kind of death."

"And my parents," offered Alfric, "though they are dead, they still live in my thoughts."

"You're just playing with words," sneered Damian.

"Our lives," said Odo, "don't give us much else with which to play."

"I'd rather play with gold," said Damian.

Sybil went to the window, leaned on one arm, and looked out. Though the rain was still falling on the courtyard, soldiers had resumed working. She grasped now what they were building with the wooden beams: a gallows. Recalling the reeve's words, she had little doubt it was meant for them all. When he returned, he would ask to speak to Thorston. What were they to say? What if he discovered what had happened? All would be lost: the book, the stones-and them. She looked at the two stones that remained in her hand. She supposed she could just take them and the book and give them to the monk. But she needed to speak to Odo first, alone.

She turned around to face the others. "We must bury Master again."

"Why?" asked Alfric.

"To keep the reeve from knowing what has happened."

"Just don't tell him" suggested Damian.

"Damian, a gallows has been erected in the courtyard."

"It has?" cried the boy. He and Alfric rushed to the window and looked out.

"Why is it there?" asked Alfric.

"To take the reeve at his word," said Odo, "he means to hang Master Thorston."

"But he's already dead," said Damian.

As Sybil put the stones back in the chest she said, "You may be sure that if the reeve learns of Master's death, he'll hang us."

"Us!" cried Damian.

"I fear Sybil is right," said Odo. "Another burial is necessary."

"But let us pray that this time he doesn't fart," said Damian.

"Or fall down the ladder," added Alfric.

5.

It was both easier and harder to bury Thorston the second time. There were no body noises, and the hefting was done with greater sureness. But Thorston, in becoming younger, had become heavier. Still, once they had carried the body to the bas.e.m.e.nt, they were glad to discover that having previously dug the grave (and Thorston having dug himself out), they had a much easier time putting him back in.

"A used grave is less grave," suggested Odo.

"But still not gravy," said Damian, who had joined in the work this time. "Perhaps the first time you didn't dig deep enough."

"My fear," said Sybil, "is that for Master, no grave is deep enough."

They shoveled the dirt back. When done, Alfric asked, "Please, Mistress, shall I repeat my words?"

"If you would be so good."

"Rest in peace," said Alfric.

"And be content to stay this time!" Damian shouted. "I don't want to do this again."

"Now," said Odo, "we must resume our search. And with the reeve sure to return soon, we'd best be fast and thorough."

The boys started to ascend the ladder. Sybil did not move. "I shall stay a moment longer," she said.

"Why?" demanded Damian.

"By Saint George, Master Damian, it's not for you to be always asking my whys and wherefores. I wish to speak to Odo. Be gone with you!"

Damian started to protest, but changed his mind when he took in Sybil's angry glare. He went up the ladder. Alfric went too.

Odo turned to Sybil. "What is it this time?" he said with a sigh.

6.

"Odo," began Sybil, "it's those stones. You saw him swallow one. It is they that allow him to come back to life."

"How could that be?"

"I'm not sure, but the way to make and take them is to be found in the Book Without Words. And since Master swallowed another stone, he's bound to return." She considered the grave with discomfort.

"What makes you so certain?"

"A Brother Wilfrid has come to Fulworth. Years ago, Master-when my age-stole the book from him. Odo, the monk wants the book-and the stones-back."