Speaks The Nightbird Part 55

"Oh, you speak the names of our G.o.ds, sir!" Brightman said, with a huge smile. His smile, however, quickly faded as a more serious subject came to mind. "I do heavily regret the pa.s.sing of another reverend, though. Reverend Grove was a man who saw a n.o.ble place for theatrical endeavors. I do miss seeing him this trip. David, you would have liked the man. He was of good humor, good faith, and certainly good reason. Mr. Bidwell, I'm sure your community is diminished by his absence."

"It most certainly is. But after the witch is dead-and thank G.o.d it will be soon-and our town back on an even keel, we shall endeavor to find a man of similar sterling qualities."

"I doubt you shall find a reverend who was a better player at chess!" Brightman said, smiling again. "Grove trounced me soundly on two occasions!"

"He trounced us all, " Johnstone said, with a sip of his wine. "It got to the point I refused to play him."

"He once beat me in a game that took all of five minutes, " Winston added. "Of course, with him calling out all his moves in Latin and me being a dunce at that language, I was befuddled from the opening p.a.w.n."

"Well, " Brightman said, and he lifted his winegla.s.s. "Let me propose a toast to the memory of Reverend Grove. And also the memory of so many others who have departed your town, whether by choice or circ.u.mstance."

All but Matthew, who had no gla.s.s, partic.i.p.ated in the toast. "I do miss seeing others I recall, " Brightman continued, sadness in his voice. "A stroll around town told me how much the witch has hurt you. There weren't nearly so many empty houses, were there? Or burned ones?"

"No, there were not, " Winston said, with either admirable pluck or stunning gall.

"Demonic doings, I gather?" Brightman asked Bidwell, who nodded. Then the thespian turned his attention to Johnstone. "And the schoolhouse burned too?"

"Yes." The schoolmaster's voice held an angry edge. "Burned to the ground before my eyes. The sorriest sight of my life. If our fire fighters had been at all trained and a great deal less lazy, the schoolhouse might have been saved."

"Let us not delve into that again, Alan." It was obvious to Matthew that Bidwell was trying to soothe a terribly sore point. "We must let it go."

"I'll not let it go!" Johnstone snapped, his eyes darting toward Bidwell. "It was a d.a.m.ned crime that those so-called firemen stood there and allowed that schoolhouse-my schoolhouse-to burn! After all that work put into it!"

"Yes, Alan, it was a crime, " Bidwell agreed. He stared into his gla.s.s. "But all the work was done by others, so why should you be so angry? The schoolhouse can be-and shall be-rebuilt." Brightman nervously cleared his throat, because again a tension had entered the room.

"What you mean to say, Robert, is that due to my deformity I simply stood aside while others did the labor?" Johnstone's anger was turning colder. "Is that your meaning?"

"I said... and meant... nothing of the sort."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" Brightman's smile was intended to return warmth to the gathering. "Let us not forget that Fount Royal faces the morning of a wondrous new day! I have no doubt the schoolhouse and all the rest of the structures shall be returned to their former glory, and that those houses vacated by past friends shall be soon inhabited by new ones." Still the chilly air lingered between Bidwell and Johnstone. Brightman looked to Smythe. "David, what was that you were telling me this afternoon? You recall, before that preacher stormed in? Mr. Bidwell, you might find this of interest!"

"Yes?" Bidwell raised his eyebrows, while Johnstone hobbled away to refill his gla.s.s.

"Oh... about the man, " Smythe said. "Yes, this was peculiar.

A man came to the camp today. He was looking about. I know it sounds very odd, but... I found something familiar about him. His walk... his bearing... something."

"And you know who it was?" Brightman asked Bidwell. "Of all people, your ratcatcher!" At the mere mention of the man, Matthew's throat seemed to clutch.

"Linch?" Bidwell frowned. "Was he over there bothering you?"

"No, not that, " Smythe said. "He seemed to be just... inspecting us, I suppose. We'd had several visitors who just strolled around the camp. But this man... well, it does sound very strange, but... I watched him for a moment or two, and then I approached him from behind. He had picked up a blue gla.s.s lantern that is used in one of our morality scenes. The way his fingers moved over the gla.s.s... the way he turned the lantern this way and that... I thought I had seen such movements before. And I also thought I knew who the man was, yet... he was dressed in filthy clothes, and he was so very changed from the last time I'd seen him, when I was perhaps... oh... sixteen or seventeen years old."

"Pardon me, " Matthew said, his throat still tight. "But who did you think Mr. Linch might have been?"

"Well, I spoke the name. I'm sure I sounded incredulous. I said: 'Mr. Lancaster?' and he turned around." Smythe put a finger to his mouth, as if determining whether to continue this tale or not.

"Yes?" Matthew prodded. "What then?"

"I... know this is absolutely ridiculous... but then again, Mr. Lancaster did have an act in the circus that involved trained rats, so when Mr. Brightman explained to me that the man was Fount Royal's ratcatcher, then... it's all very puzzling."

"Puzzling?" Johnstone had returned with his fresh gla.s.s of wine. "How so?"

"I could swear the man was Jonathan Lancaster, " Smythe said. "In fact, I would swear it. He turned toward me and looked me right in the face... and I saw his eyes. Such eyes... pale as ice... and piercing to the soul. I have seen them before. The man is is Jonathan Lancaster, but..." He shook his head, his blond brows knit. "I... had not planned on mentioning this to anyone but Mr. Brightman. I intended first to locate Mr. Lancaster- your ratcatcher, I mean-and find out for myself, in private, why he has... um... sunken to such a low profession." Jonathan Lancaster, but..." He shook his head, his blond brows knit. "I... had not planned on mentioning this to anyone but Mr. Brightman. I intended first to locate Mr. Lancaster- your ratcatcher, I mean-and find out for myself, in private, why he has... um... sunken to such a low profession."

"My pardon, please!" Brightman said. "I didn't realize this was a personal matter!"

"Oh, that's all right." He gave Brightman a rather vexed glance. "Once a cat is out of a bag, sir, it is very difficult to put it back in again."

"The same might be said of a fox, " Matthew offered. "But tell me: did Linch-or Lancaster-speak to you? Did he seem to recognize you as well?"

"No, I saw no recognition on his part. As soon as I spoke his name, he hurried away. I was going to follow him, but... I decided he might be ashamed to be seen dressed in rags. I wished not to intrude on his privacy until I had considered if I was mistaken or not."

"Gwinett Linch has always been Gwinett Linch, from what I know, " Bidwell contended. "Who is this Jonathan Lancaster?"

"Mr. Lancaster was employed at the circus at the same time my father was its manager, " Smythe said. "I had the run of the place, and I helped where my father directed me. As I said, Mr. Lancaster had an act that involved trained rats, but he also-"

The door's bell rang with such ferocity that it must have been near pulled off its hinge. Before two seconds had pa.s.sed, the door burst open and the visitor announced himself with a soul-withering shout: "How dare ye! How dare ye do me such an injury!"

"Oh my Lord!" Brightman said, his eyes wide. "The storm returns!"

Indeed the black-clad, black-tricorned whirlwind entered the room, his gaunt and wrinkled face florid with rage and the cords standing out in his neck. "I demand to know!" Exodus Jerusalem hollered, aiming his mouth at Bidwell. "Why was I not invited to thy preparations?"

"What preparations?" Bidwell fired back, his own temper in danger of explosion. "And how dare you enter my house with such rudeness!"

"If thee wisheth to speak of rudeness, we might speak of the rudeness thou hast not only shown to me, but also shown to thy G.o.d Almighty!" The last two words had been brayed so loudly the walls seemed to tremble. "It was not enough for thee to allow such sinful filth as play-actors into thy town, but then thou forceth me to abide within nostril's reach of them on the same street! G.o.d warrant it, I should have given thy town up as lost to h.e.l.l's fires that very instant! And I still wouldst, if not for the rite of just layment!"

"The rite of just layment?" Bidwell now exhibited a suspicious scowl. "Hold a moment, preacher! I thought you said it was the rite of sanctimonity!"

"Oh... yes, it is also called such!" Jerusalem's voice had faltered, but already it was gathering hot wind again for another bellow. "Wouldst thou believe that so important a rite wouldst only have one name? Even G.o.d Himself is also called Jehovah! Lord above, deliver thy servant from such blind pride as we vieweth aplenty in this room!"

Matthew was not so blind as to fail to realize that Jerusalem, as was his nature, had taken center stage in the prideful parlor. Brightman and Smythe had retreated for the safety of their ears, Bidwell had backed up several paces, and even the stalwart schoolmaster had staggered back, the knuckles of his cane-gripping hand white with pressure.

Winston, however, had stood his ground. "What's the meaning of bursting in on Mr. Bidwell's private affairs?"

"Sir, in G.o.d's great kingdom there are no private affairs!" Jerusalem snapped. "It is only Satan who craveth secrecy! That is why I am so amazed and confounded by the fact that thou wouldst hide this meeting with the play-actors from mine eyes!"

"I did not hide anything from you!" Bidwell said. "Anyway, how the h.e.l.l... I mean... how on earth did you find out the actors were even here?"

"I wouldst have remained unenlightened had I not ventured to the play-actors' camp-as a man who loveth peace and brotherhood-to speak with their leader. And then I learneth from some fat thespian whose saint must surely be gluttony that Mr. Brightman is here with thee! And I kneweth exactly what must be transpiring!"

"And exactly what is transpiring?" Winston asked.

"The planning, as thou well knoweth!" It was spoken with dripping sarcasm. "To cut me out of the execution day!"

"What?" Bidwell saw that Mrs. Nettles and two serving-girls had come to peer into the room, perhaps fearing violence from the wall-shaking volume. He waved them away. "Preacher, I fail to understand what you're-"

"I went to see thee, brother Brightman, " Jerusalem interrupted, addressing the other man, "for the purpose of creating an agreement. I understand that thou planneth a play after the witch hath been burned. That evening, as I hear. I mineself have intentions that very eve to deliver a message to the citizens upon the burning battleground. As an observer of debased human nature, I fully realize there are more misguided sinners who wouldst attend a pig-and-bear show than hear the word of G.o.d Almighty, no matter how compelling the speaker. Therefore I wished-as a peaceful, brotherly man-to offer up mine services to enricheth your performance. Say... a message delivered to the crowd between each scene, building to a finale that will hopefully enricheth us all?"

A stunned quiet reigned. Brightman broke it, with thunder. "This is outrageous! I don't know from where you hear your faulty information, but we're planning no play on the night of the witch's burning! Our plans are to exhibit morality scenes several nights afterward!"

"And from where do you get this information, preacher?" Winston challenged.

"From a fine woman of thy town. Madam Lucretia Vaughan came to speak with me earlier this evening. She wisheth to afford the crowd with her breads and pies, a sample of which she was most delighted to give." Matthew had to wonder if that was the only sample the woman had given the lecherous rogue.

"In fact, " Jerusalem went on, "Madam Vaughan hath created a special bread to be offered at the burning. She calleth it 'Witch Riddance Loaf. '"

"For G.o.d's justice!" Matthew said, unable to hold his silence an instant longer. "Get this fool out of here!"

"Spoken as a true demon in training!" Jerusalem retorted, with a sneering grin. "If thy magistrate knew anything of G.o.d's justice, he would have a second stake prepared for thee!"

"His magistrate... does know G.o.d's justice, sir, " came a weak but determined voice from the parlor's doorway.

Every man turned toward the sound.

And there-miraculously!-stood Isaac Temple Woodward, returned from the land of the near-dead.

"Magistrate!" Matthew exclaimed. "You shouldn't be out of bed!" He rushed to his side to offer him support, but Woodward held out a hand to ward him off while he gripped the wall with his other.

"I am sufficiently able... to be out, up, and about. Please... allow me room in which to draw a breath."

Not only had Woodward climbed out of bed and negotiated the staircase, he had also dressed in a pair of tan breeches and a fresh white shirt. His thin calves were bare, however, and he wore no shoes. His face was yet very pallid, which made the dark purple hollows beneath his eyes darker still; his scalp was also milk-pale, the age-spots upon his head a deep red in contrast. Gray grizzle covered his cheeks and chin.

"Please! Sit down, sit down!" Bidwell recovered from his shock and motioned to the chair nearest Woodward.

"Yes... I think I shall. The stairs have winded me." Woodward, with Matthew's aid, eased to the chair and sank down onto it. Matthew felt no trace of fever from the magistrate, but there was still emanating from him the sweetish-sour odor of the sickbed.

"Well, this is quite amazing!" Johnstone said. "The doctor's potion must have gotten him up!"

"I believe... you are correct, sir. A dose of that elixir... thrice a day... would surely awaken Lazarus."

"Thank G.o.d for it!" Matthew pressed his hand to Woodward's shoulder. "I would never have let you get out of bed, if I'd known you were able, but... this is wonderful!"

The magistrate put his hand on Matthew's. "My throat still pains me. My chest as well. But... any improvement is welcome." He squinted, trying to make out the faces of two men he didn't know. "I'm sorry. Have we met?" '

Bidwell made the introductions. Neither Brightman nor Smythe stepped forward to shake hands; in fact, Matthew noted, they stayed well on the other side of the room.

"Some wine, Magistrate?" Bidwell pushed a gla.s.s into Woodward's hand, whether he wanted it or not. "We are so very glad you've come out the other side of your ordeal!"

"No one more glad than I, " Woodward rasped. He sipped the wine, but couldn't taste a hint of it. Then his gaze went to the preacher, sharpening as it travelled. "In reply to your comment concerning G.o.d's justice, sir... I must say that I believe G.o.d to be the most lenient judge... in all of creation... and merciful beyond all imaginings. Because if He were not... you would have found yourself called to His courtroom on a lightning bolt by now."

Jerusalem braced himself to make some cutting reply, but he seemed to think better of it. He bowed his head. "I humbly apologize for any remark that might have caused thee distress, sir. It is not mine wish to offend the law."

"Why not?" Woodward asked, taking another tasteless drink. "You've offended... everyone else hereabouts, it seems."

"Uh... pardon, please, " Brightman spoke up, a little nervously. "David and I ought to be going. I mean no offense either, Magistrate. We both wish to hear about your experience with the witch, but... as you might well understand... the ability of a thespian to project lies in the throat. If we should... um... find difficulty, in that area, then-"

"Oh, I didn't think!" Woodward said. "Please forgive me. Of course... you don't wish to risk any health complications!"

"Exactly, sir. David, shall we go? Mr. Bidwell, thank you for a wonderful dinner and a gracious evening." Brightman was obviously in a hurry to leave, fearing that any throat affliction might doom his play-acting. Matthew was eager to know more about Linch or Lancaster or whatever his name was, but now was not the time. He decided that first thing in the morning he would seek out Smythe for the rest of the story.

"I shall join thee!" Jerusalem announced to the two men, and both of them looked further stricken. "It seems we have much to talk over and plan, does it not? Now... concerning these morality scenes. How long are they to be? I ask because I wish to keep a certain... shall we say... rhythm to the pace of my message!"

"Ahhhh, how magnificent it is... to be free from that bed!" Woodward said, as Bidwell showed his guests and the pest out. "How goes it, Mr. Winston?"

"Fine, sir. I can't tell you how gratified I am to see you doing so much better."

"Thank you. Dr. Shields should be here soon... for my third dose of the day. The stuff has... burned my tongue to a cinder, but thank G.o.d I can breathe."

"I have to say, you seemed at a dangerous point." Johnstone finished his wine and set the gla.s.s aside. "Far past a dangerous point, to be more truthful. I'm sure you had no way of knowing this, but there are some-many-who feel Madam Howarth cursed you for handing down the decree."

Bidwell entered again, and had heard the last of what Johnstone had said. "Alan, I don't think it's proper to mention such a thing!"

"No, no, it's all right." Woodward waved a rea.s.suring hand. "I would be surprised if... people did not say such a thing. If I was cursed, it was not by the witch... but by the bad weather and my own... weak blood. But I'm going to be fine now. In a few days... I shall be as fit as I ever was."

"Hear, hear!" Winston said, and raised his gla.s.s.

"And fit to travel, too, " Woodward added. He lifted his hand and rubbed his eyes, which were still bloodshot and bleary. "This is an... incident I wish to put far behind me. What say you, Matthew?"

"The same, sir."

Johnstone cleared his throat. "I should be going myself, now. Robert, thank you for the evening. We shall... um... have to discuss the future of the schoolhouse at a later date."

"That brings something to mind!" Woodward said. "Alan... you should find this of interest. In my delirium... I had a dream of Oxford."

"Really, sir?" Johnstone wore a faint smile. "I should say many former students suffer deliriums of Oxford."

"Oh, I was there! Right there, on the sward! I was... a young man. I had places to go... and much to accomplish."

"You heard the tolling of Great Tom, I presume?"

"Certainly I did! One who hears that bell... never forgets it!" Woodward looked up at Matthew and gave him a weak smile that nevertheless had the power to rend the clerk's heart. "I shall take you to Oxford one day. I shall show you... the halls... the great rooms of learning... the wonderful smell of the place. Do you recall that, Alan?"

"The most singular aroma of my experience was that of the bitter ale at the Chequers Inn, sir. That and the dry aroma of an empty pocket, I fear."

"Yes, that too." Woodward smiled dreamily. "I smelled the gra.s.s. The chalk. The oaks... that stand along the Cherwell. I was there... I swear it. I was there as much as... any flesh and blood can be. I even found myself at the door of my social fraternity. The old door... of the Carleton Society. And there... right there before me... was the ram's head bellpull... and the bra.s.s plaque with its motto, lus omni est ius omnibus. Oh, how I recall that door... that bellpull, and the plaque." He closed his eyes for a few seconds, taking in the wondrous memory. Then he opened them again and Matthew saw that Woodward's eyes had grown moist. "Alan... your society was... what did you say it was?"

"The Ruskins, sir. An education fraternity."

"Ah. Do you recall your motto?"

"Certainly I do. It was..." He paused, gathering it from the mist. "The greatest sin is ignorance."

"There's a fitting motto for an educator... is it not?" Woodward asked. "As a jurist, I might... disagree with it... but then again, we were all young and yet to be schooled... at the university of life, were we not?"

"Oxford was difficult, " Johnstone said. "But the university of life is well nigh impossible."

"Yes. It does... grade rather harshly." The magistrate gave a long sigh, his newfound strength now almost spent. "Pardon me... for my rambling. It seems that when one is ill... and so near death... the past becomes paramount... to ease the dwindling of one's future."