by Roger Taylor
‘It’s not my fault,’ Leck sulked. ‘It was all so real, as though I was actually there. I’ve never felt anything like that before.’
‘Well, don’t bother feeling it again,’ Privv retorted, still struggling with the chair.
A ringing ended their argument. Leck sniffed the air and her hackles rose slightly. ‘It’s him,’ she said. ‘Your benefactor – Cassraw.’
Privv scrambled to his feet and righted the chair as if that single act might bring immediate order to the chaos of his room. He felt Leck sneering. She was back on the windowsill and stretching herself out again. ‘It’s so funny the way you creatures always grovel around a pack leader,’ she said.
‘Shut up,’ Privv snapped. Quickly he sat down at his desk, swept a mass of papers to one side and began writing purposefully on the piece in front of him. There was a loud knock on the door, and it was pushed open before he could speak. A small, scruffy boy, liberally splattered with ink but seemingly very dirty anyway, stood looking at him insolently.
‘It’s someone called Brother Crasshole,’ he announced, scratching his crotch.
Privv was uttering a silent prayer for the immediate death of the child when Cassraw strode into the room, cuffing the boy on the back of the head as he passed him.
The boy let out a yell of raucous indignation. ‘I’m going back to bed. You can answer the door yourself if anyone else comes,’ he shouted at Privv and, pausing only to make an obscene gesture at Cassraw’s back, he was gone.
Privv gave a weak smile of apology and motioned Cassraw towards a seat. ‘He’s a good lad really, just a little tired. Last night was hard work.’
‘Hard work is the way to salvation,’ Cassraw declared tersely, looking in some distaste at the hand with which he had struck the boy.
‘Quite,’ Privv agreed, offering him a cloth.
Cassraw looked at the cloth with even greater distaste and waved it away. ‘You have an even greater facility with words than I’d imagined. I scarcely recognized my sermon in your Sheet.’
Privv could not keep the alarm from his face. He pushed a chair towards Cassraw anxiously.
‘But it was well done,’ Cassraw continued, declining the chair. ‘I see that I chose well in you. Stay true to me, Sheeter, and things will come your way that you dare not even aspire to at the moment.’ He looked significantly at Privv, but as he did not seem to expect any reply, Privv remained silent. ‘I’m going from here to the Witness House, to explain how my sermon has been misrepresented in your Sheet, and to tell them that I’ve spoken to you on the matter and received an assurance that, in future, any comments you might see fit to write about my sermons will be more measured in their tone.’
He walked over to the window and looked out at the Ervrin Mallos, idly stroking Leck as he did so. ‘I think it would be a good idea if you went to the PlasHein today. I’m sure that several of the worthy members will have something to say about what I’m alleged to have said.’ He turned and stared at Privv. ‘You printed more Sheets than usual, as I advised?’ he asked.
Privv nodded. ‘And sold them all.’ Then, keeping his face neutral, he looked straight at Cassraw even though he could not see his face clearly against the light from the window. ‘It seems that my two main rivals were both attacked and injured last night. And their presses damaged.’
‘Careful,’ Leck hissed.
Cassraw gave no response other than a slight inclination of his head. ‘Robbers, presumably. Such is the penalty of material success. It attracts that kind of attention. Ishryth’s ways are strange indeed.’
‘Indeed,’ Privv echoed.
‘You must write something about the declining standards in our society which allows such an important, if new, institution to be thus assailed. Perhaps you could point out the need for our Heinders to set a greater example of stern moral resolution. Where they show weakness, others will follow. And the more conspicuous the weakness, the greater the example. Such conduct is not acceptable.’
Then, with a curt farewell, he was gone.
Privv sat down and breathed out loudly. He picked up the cloth that Cassraw had rejected, and wiped his forehead with it. It left an inky stain.
‘He did it.’ He was whispering even though he was speaking only to Leck. ‘He was behind the wrecking of those presses.’ Confirmation oozed into him from his companion. ‘It was the first thing that occurred to me when I heard about it, but I thought, no, couldn’t be, not a Preacher. But I could smell it on him then.’ He bared his teeth fearfully. ‘I hope he didn’t see anything on my face.’
‘It’s safe to assume that he knows you know,’ Leck said. ‘I was getting all manner of alarming reactions from him.’ For an instant Privv was full of primitive, predatory urges… a lust for the chase, the kill, warm flesh, and blood. His mouth watered. Leck tore the images back with painful urgency and an awkward silence hung between them for a moment. Then it filled with her anxiety. ‘He’s stranger than ever. If we’re going to get involved with him, you must have a good escape route ready for us. I wouldn’t trust him the length of my tail.’
‘I’ll think about it,’ Privv said off-handedly. ‘I must admit, it’s a very strange feeling to have someone from the church resorting to that kind of thing. Heinders, businessmen, yes, but Preachers…’ His face became thoughtful. ‘I wonder what game he’s really playing?’ he mused.
‘A dangerous one,’ Leck said. ‘I’ve told you, he’s a pack leader. And he’s stronger now by far than he was when we first met him. He’s not like anyone we’ve ever dealt with before.’
Privv scowled. ‘You worry too much,’ he said. ‘We’ve dealt with worse than him in the past. We’ll be all right if we keep our wits about us.’ He nodded sagely. ‘And don’t forget, whatever it is he’s up to, we’ve already made a lot of money out of it, and we’re likely to make a lot more.’
He yawned noisily and stretched himself. ‘I’m going to have a sleep, then I think I’ll visit my esteemed colleagues and give them my condolences, before I go to the PlasHein.’
He swung his feet up on to his desk again and closed his eyes.
He was counting the night’s takings yet again as he drifted into sleep.
* * * *
Vredech entered Mueran’s office feeling decidedly uncomfortable. It had been his intention after hearing Cassraw’s sermon to speak to Mueran about it. He could not have done otherwise following such a flagrant flouting of the church’s long tradition of not interfering in lay matters. Now however, after reading the version printed in Privv’s Sheet, he found himself almost in the position of defending Cassraw.
He was more than a little relieved to see that Morem and Horld were there also, and that a copy of Privv’s sheet lay on Mueran’s desk. It would be much easier to join in this discussion than start it.
Mueran nodded a cursory greeting and waved Vredech to a seat. ‘I can’t believe that Brother Cassraw actually said these things, or even implied them,’ he was saying.
‘Nor I,’ Horld said. ‘Privv’s capable of writing anything, I should know that.’
‘But there must be some semblance of truth to it,’ Morem interjected. ‘What else could have prompted this Privv to write such things?’
Horld threw a coin on to the desk. ‘Money,’ he grunted. ‘That’s all. These Sheets are being sold all over the place. I’d swear he’s printed about twice as many as usual.’
‘I’m afraid there is some truth to it,’ Vredech announced. ‘I was there – I heard Cassraw’s sermon.’
At any other time, the idea of one preacher attending another’s sermon would have provoked some good-natured banter, but the atmosphere in the room was too fraught for that. All eyes turned to him. ‘I’d heard he was going to talk about the murder,’ Vredech explained, rather self-consciously. ‘I was concerned, so I went cloaked just to hear for myself.’
Mueran was waving his hand. ‘The reasons aren’t important,’ he said. ‘I’m sure they were sincerely judged. Thanks be th
at you were there. Tell us what you heard, then perhaps we can decide what to do next.’
Vredech gave them the gist of Cassraw’s sermon. When he had finished, his small audience was looking both relieved and distressed.
Mueran was shaking his head. ‘It was a reckless thing for Brother Cassraw to do,’ he said. ‘Well meant, I’m sure, but reckless.’ He tapped the Sheet in front of him. ‘As these consequences show.’ He put his hands to his head. ‘I’m at a loss to know what to do for the best,’ he told them. ‘We should really ask Brother Cassraw to account for his actions before the assembled Chapter, but in view of this travesty that’s been so widely published, I feel we should also be defending him. It’s really very…’
A knock interrupted him and a head appeared round the door. He looked up irritably.
‘Brother Cassraw’s here, Brother Mueran,’ the head said. ‘He’d like to see you.’
‘Show him in,’ Mueran said, raising a beckoning hand. The head disappeared. ‘I think we should sort out as much of this as possible, informally and between ourselves, before we make any public announcements.’
There was no time for anyone to respond, however, for Cassraw was already striding into the room. His expression was one of both pain and contrition but the authority of his presence filled the room. Mueran and the others seemed momentarily overawed but, to his horror, Vredech felt a violent antagonism rising unbidden within him. He drove his fingernails brutally into his palms in an attempt to stop it.
Cassraw held out a copy of Privv’s Sheet. ‘My friends – what can I say about this? To be thus traduced. The shame of it.’ He clenched his fist. ‘I have spoken to the man this very morning and given him the measure of my reproach. I trusted him in this matter and he has betrayed me.’
‘And will again,’ Horld declared. ‘The man corrodes all he touches. He’s free of all restraint. I thought it was unwise of you to allow him into the Witness House after your… brief illness… but I’d not taken you to be so naive as to actually trust him.’
Cassraw lowered his head.
‘It’s fortunate we have a true witness to your sermon, Brother, or our meeting now could have been a far more serious affair.’ Mueran had recovered his composure and was gathering confidence as he saw Cassraw apparently yielding before Horld’s reproach. ‘However, we’re still faced with your blatant disregard for the ways of the church in bringing lay matters to the pulpit. I am sure you must realize that some form of rebuke is inevitable.’
‘I understand,’ Cassraw said.
Mueran’s confidence was gathering now with each word. ‘I’m sure that your motives were well-intentioned and that you realize now the error you made.’ He nodded his head paternally. ‘We’ve all done foolish things in our younger days – it’s one of the ways we acquire wisdom. And the church, being older than all of us, is wiser, too, and that’s why its ways should not be set aside, no matter how urgent or tragic the needs of the moment might seem.’
Cassraw looked up slowly. ‘I understand,’ he said again. ‘I’m humbled by your understanding, and grateful. With your permission, I shall go to one of the chapels and give thanks that I am so supported in my time of pain.’
* * * *
Later, as Vredech rode slowly down from the Witness House, his thoughts were uncharitable. Cassraw’s presence at the meeting seemed to have overwhelmed everyone. His regrets, his gratitude, had somehow deflected all four of his listeners from an objective approach to what had happened.
Now, swaying gently through the warm afternoon, Vredech was viewing the matter differently. Mueran’s concern about how the church should respond to the problem of Privv had dominated the meeting, and Cassraw had not even been questioned about his true offence – his ranting sermon about the vision of a Gyronlandt united under the Church.
Despite himself, Vredech suspected that the whole affair had been engineered with that in mind. Thoughts of the Whistler and his strange message began to return to him in the mountain silence.
‘He’s one of you. A priest.’
And then there was Jarry’s fearful claim about the return of Ahmral. Try as he might, Vredech could not set all this aside with a smile at his own folly. Thank Ishryth that Nertha was here. Her acid touch would dissolve his problems.
Or etch them into a stark contrast.
* * * *
Later still, Toom Drommel gave a rousing speech in the PlasHein, rebuking the Ploughers for persisting in their foolish plan, with all the harm it would do to the workers of Canol Madreth, and rebuking the Castellans for their hesitancy in implementing their plan when his party had agreed to support it. The leaders of the Castellan Party were perspiring freely when he had finished and, in the gallery above, Privv was smiling broadly and turning over some robust phrases of his own.
* * * *
That night, further damage was done to the property of the two Sheeters who had been attacked previously.
And another young man was brutally murdered.
Chapter 22
Privv banged the table furiously. ‘You can’t do this!’ he shouted. ‘Dragging me here as though I were some common brawler.’
Skynner’s jaw tightened. ‘I can and I have,’ he said, ominously quietly. ‘And you haven’t been dragged anywhere, you’ve been officially escorted here because you were interfering with my men when they were trying to do their jobs.’
‘Their jobs! What about mine? That’s all I was doing – trying to find out what had happened so that I could let the people know,’ Privv persisted.
It had been a grim day so far, with every prospect of it becoming worse, and Skynner’s patience suddenly ran out. He was fingering his baton dangerously as he stood up and towered over the protesting Sheeter. ‘What the hell’s this got to do with the people, whoever they are!’ he thundered.
Privv quailed. He was not unused to people trying to intimidate him, but Skynner was large and powerful, and he had genuinely lost his temper. Further, it was an oft-reported fact that Keepers were not above delivering summary justice to some of their customers in the quiet of the Keeperage. Whether it was true or not, Privv had no idea, but he had certainly reported it often enough. Further still, and as he knew for certain, Skynner, being an empowered public official, had an ample supply of minor statutes and by-laws with which he could quite legitimately make life very difficult should he choose. The Sheeter decided not to make any attempt to answer Skynner’s question.
The Serjeant was still fingering his baton as he continued. ‘It’s got to do with the friends and relatives of the poor devil who’s been murdered. And it’s got to do with us because it’s our job to make sure that we catch the other person it has something to do with, namely the man who did it.’
Despite himself Privv risked a word. ‘The people need to know so they can protect themselves while this lunatic’s at large.’
It was a mistake.
Skynner’s eyes narrowed and he spoke with great deliberateness. ‘All anyone has to do to protect themselves, as far as we can tell at the moment, is to avoid going down dark alleys with prostitutes. But it may not have escaped your eagle Sheeter’s eye that since the first murder, almost every man in Troidmallos is sporting a cudgel, or a knife, or even a sword!’ He shouted the last word.
‘That’s no crime,’ Privv blundered on.
‘I’m well aware of that!’ Skynner blasted. ‘Nor is it remotely necessary. Now, every other routine drunken squabble my men have to deal with is three times more dangerous than before. And I’ll wager that there are more than a few women walking around with knives about their person where once there’d been some lady’s flim-flam.’
Privv looked at him sullenly and returned to his original argument. ‘Well, that’s nothing to do with me,’ he whined. ‘People are still entitled to protect themselves and to know what’s going on. And running a Sheet is a right.’
Skynner bared his teeth in a scornful sneer. ‘Oh yes? One of our most ancient rights, is it? At least fif
teen, twenty years old, eh? Those who wanted to know used to be able to find out everything they needed by looking at the posting boards. And don’t talk to me about your rights. Any right carries a corresponding responsibility. I’ve never noticed you being quite as anxious to exercise the one as the other.’
But Privv was not going to let go. ‘Don’t lecture me, Keeper, until you’re looking to your own responsibilities a bit more – such as being out hunting for that murderer instead of harassing honest citizens going about their legitimate business.’
For a moment Skynner looked as though he were debating not whether he should use his baton on Privv, but merely how hard and how long. Then, suddenly, he smiled and sat down again. ‘You’re absolutely right, Sheeter Privv,’ he said politely. ‘And I’m sure that we can rely on your cooperation.’
He opened a drawer in his desk and after rooting round for a moment, produced a sheaf of papers. He began thumbing through them diligently, finally selecting one which he proceeded to read with great care. Once or twice he looked up at Privv, as if checking something, then nodded his head and returned to the paper.
Eventually he put it down, though he kept glancing at it from time to time as he spoke. Privv craned forward as much as he dared in an attempt to read it, but Skynner absently laid a hand across it. ‘You’ll understand, I’m sure,’ he said, ‘that dealing with such an horrific incident is very disturbing for my men. It takes a toll of them. I have to protect them as much as I can. I get quite… fatherly… about it.’ He leaned forward confidentially. ‘They see sights that really shouldn’t be seen, and the last thing they need is someone coming round asking all manner of questions that they can’t begin to answer. I’d ask you therefore, as a good citizen, to stay away from my men, and of course from the scene of the murder, until they’ve had time to complete their very unpleasant tasks.’
