‘It’s just occurred to me that the piscina in Temple Corner, as Bill called it, in England, could well be some kind of representation of Blanchefort. As a Templar watchtower and stronghold, it was much simpler than a castle or fortress, and may well have been castellated. And we know that there’s a large, circular water cistern and caves underneath. Maybe the hidden gold was part of the secret, along with Mary and her Migdal tower? And then there’s Jesus – “I am the vine” – with the trailing leaves everywhere. Perhaps the cavern with the head at its entrance also represents Jesus’s tomb, empty, and the sealed and locked mouth tells us, albeit silently, of the biggest secret of all: that he never was in the tomb… not in the biblical sense, anyway.’
‘I’ve got goosebumps again. I think you’re right, but what really gets to me is the thought of the man who arranged to have it carved. He would have planned it all out and given detailed instructions to the stonemason… and then just hoped. Hoped that it would survive long enough to reveal the truth when the time was right, just like Saunière. What about us? What will we leave behind?’
‘A whole heap of money and little else I suspect. Perhaps we should spend it all now? I’ll buy you a massive diamond ring. How about that?’ She looked at me, tears once again in her eyes.
‘I’m serious, Ben.’
‘So am I, and at this moment I can’t think of a single thing I would leave behind that would be of value and worth to humankind. At least you have your books. As soon as this is over let’s have a serious discussion. Meanwhile, think about what would make you happy. That’s what I’m going to do.’
She nodded. ‘I don’t think money can buy that,’ she said quietly. ‘Do you want to look inside the other envelope? I’m hoping it’s another letter from Hortense.’
She opened it, and I recognised the handwriting immediately. It was Hortense’s last letter. Wiping fresh tears way with the back of her hand, she started to read.
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
May 2015
My dearest children.
I decided to put the last letter in here, thinking it might be safer. As you will have already discovered for yourselves, people who can be trusted are few and far between. Sad, but true. I wanted to tell you all that I know about the letter from Bigou, and the parchments found by Saunière. You will then be able to do what you wish with this information.
The first thing he found was the letter that Abbé Bigou had written before he fled from the French Revolution in the early 1790s. When he pulled out the old wooden pilaster that was under the pulpit, he found a hollow inside it, and a glass vial containing the letter. I saw a copy many years ago and remember its contents well. Firstly, Bigou told the reader about bone fragments of Mary Magdalene in a niche at the top of the old Carolingian altar pillar. They were labelled in Latin, and had been in the church for almost seven hundred years.
They were given as a gift by the Templars (who had been given them by the Cathars) for keeping some of them in hiding during dangerous times. Moving the old altar would have been such a strange thing to do, but now you know why. No one knows what he did with them to this day, although I’m sure he has re-hidden them, and maybe in the future someone else will find them. Maybe they already have? Both the pulpit pilaster and the Carolingian pillar are shown in the Fleury relief on the back wall of the church, which Saunière himself helped to paint.
Secondly, he wrote about the gravestone of Marie de Nègre, the encoded inscription, and of treasures belonging to the church being buried underneath, that had been kept hidden to prevent them being used as revenue by the kings of France. He also spoke of another false tomb in the graveyard containing further relics and gold left by the Templars when they fled. I am unsure if Saunière ever found this in his night-time digging, but I suspect that he did, and used the money for his domain as well as further renovation of the church. Much nonsense has been written about his selling of Masses. I don’t doubt that he did, most priests did at that time, but the revenue was small and did not account for the wealth he once had.
The third thing that Bigou wrote about was that two ancient parchments had been moved from Rennes-le-Château to Antugnac church. One was hidden in the pillar supporting the piscina by the door, and the other was in a hollow in the base of the statue of Joan of Arc. I saw copies of these many years ago, in Paris. Some say that Saunière took these to Paris but, as always, there seems to be little conclusive proof of this. However, I do believe that the Vatican was made aware of some of his findings, and he received a substantial sum to silence him.
To my knowledge no one has ever let it be known that they have the originals, but that does not mean that they are not being held somewhere, most likely in the Vatican. They may of course have been destroyed, either by the government or the Church. I even suspected your parents of their destruction at one time, but am less sure of this now. I once asked Henrikas about it and he denied it. With hindsight, I think he was telling the truth. Both parchments were believed to have originally come from an abbey, which is very likely, of course. As you know, the Cathars, Templars, and other crusaders, were very active in these parts, and so they could well have ended up in Rennes-le-Château by these means.
The first one was a simple and very ancient narrative that told of Jesus and Mary arriving in this area by boat in the early parts of the first century. They had their daughter with them, Sara, Joseph of Arimathea, and Martha. After a short while, Jesus left for England with Joseph, and that is where he died. Many hundreds of years later, the Knights Templar took the remains of the body of Mary Magdalene from Rennes-le-Château, where she was hidden, to England and reunited them. The story is well depicted in your cellar, Benoît; I’m sure you both still remember it. The second one was a genealogy of their bloodline over several hundred years.
Lastly, Bigou wrote about the sealed crypt and how to access it through a slab in the floor by the pulpit. He said that there were further secrets down there that had been given to him by Marie de Nègre before she died, that had been kept by her family for many generations. You will know the stone by its name, ‘The Knight’s Stone,’ although it’s really a hunting scene. It is known that Saunière found two parchments in the crypt, very well preserved, on which were written communications between the Roman Emperor Tiberius and Pontius Pilate. I have not seen these but I am told that they confirmed that Jesus was not crucified and was, in effect, exiled and brought to France by the Romans themselves. Historically, there is a recorded mention of two Jewish political exiles arriving in the area in the first century so I believe these parchments to be accurate.
Saunière also found more Templar gold and other valuables in the crypt which added to his stash. I doubt that any of this will come as a great surprise to either of you, and as you know, he left a trail behind which was as clear as he could possibly make it, and is easily decipherable to those who have a desire to open their eyes and see the truth. There were many rumours that he also found a map, which would lead him to the ultimate treasure from the Temple of Solomon, the Ark of the Covenant, brought to the region and hidden by the Templars.
Some believe this to be the source of his wealth in the early years, from sponsors expecting a share in any finds. I cannot verify this, but children, the map was once in my possession. I found it amongst other documents in a Nazi camp. As you know, they were obsessed with hidden treasure, although I’ve no idea where they found the map. The woods were crawling with soldiers, and I hid it in case I was captured. I eventually returned and it remained in my possession for many years.
During a particularly dangerous time in my work, when I suspected that I might be killed, I hid it once more. It may still be there, although this is doubtful. I do not intend telling you where it is and I must strongly warn you both. Please do not search for it. It will bring nothing but misery and destruction to your lives. Evil is rife, not in the Ark itself but in the people who desire to own
it. I didn’t want to mention it at all, not even the possibility of a map, but there have been enough secrets in your lives. At least now I have had the chance to tell you and to give you my warning. If it ends up in your possession, I must hope that you will trust me enough to heed what I have said.
There is little left to concern me now. My house is yours to do with as you wish, but I must admit I am finding the thought of leaving it to be the hardest thing. Don’t forget about the tunnels, and the foundations of the old St John the Baptist church that are underneath. I remember Charles telling you the tale of its destruction by Henri II of Castile in 1362, looking for hidden treasure, perhaps left by his family in earlier times. The church at Arques was also once dedicated to St John the Baptist. Please pass this information on before it is deliberately obliterated from history. St John the Baptist.
This is where my story ends. Do not be sad. It is the way of things. You must both be extremely cautious and careful with the information that you have. I have heard that you have become involved with some dangerous people. As you will already have gathered, some will go to any lengths to gain power and control over others. Use what you know carefully, wisely, and, when the time is right, honestly. That is my advice to you.
If I have any way of contacting you from wherever I am going, I will. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to frighten you, but I cannot see any way in which I would leave Rennes-le-Château. Like so many who have gone before me, I have become a part of it, and it, me. I am hoping to be able to join up with Saunière. I have seen him many times on my strolls around the village when no one else is around. In the end, I think he used to wait for me. You may think I am becoming fanciful and a little crazy in my dotage, but I swear that this is true. There is much that we do not understand. I am excited about my next journey. Be happy for me. Be happy for yourselves. I love you both.
Hortense de Morny
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
We sat in silence for a few moments and wiped our tear-stained faces. Caro spoke first.
‘I saw him once.’
‘Saunière? Really? When?’
‘In the church, about six months ago, I suppose. It was quite late and all the tourists had gone. I was taking a few photos and looking around when I heard a shuffling sound by the pulpit. I looked up and there he was. Unmistakably him. Not quite solid, but solid enough. He smiled and then was gone. I didn’t want to tell you because I thought you wouldn’t believe me, and I didn’t want to have to justify myself. I saw him, he saw me, and I wanted to hold on to that. So, I believe Hortense when she said she used to see him. And why wouldn’t he want to wait for her? She was the most astounding woman.’
‘You’re right, she was. I might have never actually seen any ghosts there but the place is full of them; you can feel it. I don’t doubt you, nor her, not at all.’
‘I’m glad, or I might have had to punch you, and you know how weak and feeble you are. As for any treasure map, I hope we never come across it. I don’t want to go searching for treasure, whatever it is, and certainly not now, anyway.’
‘Not ever, Caro… and certainly not the Ark. I think we both have enough trouble without courting more, although I’m not surprised by that revelation from Hortense. I still get the feeling that she knew more than she said, and is holding something back. She was right about the deliberate removal of certain parts of history around here. I’ve seen it happen even in my own lifetime.’
‘Me too. I’ve got a few phone calls to make for tomorrow. Why don’t you make us a coffee and a sandwich and then we can decide what we need to do for the rest of the day.’
Then it struck me. I stood up, and steadied myself by holding the table.
‘What is it, Ben? Are you OK?’
‘I’ve just had a light-bulb moment! The Magdalene bone relics. Do you remember Station 12? It shows Mary Magdalene holding a prayer book that looks like an exact replica of the one that Saunière carried everywhere? Were her bones tucked into the book somehow, perhaps in a cut-out? Is that why he always had it with him? Is that why he was exhumed and the book has now gone? Once again, someone’s got there before us. The church wasn’t always dedicated to Mary Magdalene. Its first mention with that name was in an inventory made by the Knights Hospitaller in 1185, also known as the Knights of St John. They were in the area quite a bit and worked closely with the Templars at times. I’ve often wondered about their involvement in Rennes-le-Château, especially given their supposed origins as Benedictines.’
* * *
‘Of course,’ I continued, ‘there was another church back then dedicated to John the Baptist. Hortense mentioned it, and her house was built over the top of its foundations. At some point, a dedication to St Peter took place, but that’s all rather odd. Why change it from St John to St Peter? Are we missing something here? Is there a link between John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene? Were her relics in the old church and then subsequently brought to the current one, and did Henry of Castile pull the old church apart looking for the relics, not the gold left by his ancestor, Blanche? The Cathars and Templars were well known for revering John the Baptist above Jesus, and the Templars were accused of worshipping a skull, possibly that of John the Baptist. You’re usually the one with the theories, but I’m beginning to formulate one.’
‘I’ve been wanting to talk to you about John the Baptist. But tell me about the link between him and Mary. I’m dying to hear more… it’s so unusual to see you fired up like this.’ She rested her chin in her hands, waiting for me to speak.
‘I know, Caro. I’m a lot slower than you. I mull things over, sometimes for years, before I reach any conclusions. Anyway, it isn’t a conclusion as such, more like an educated guess or theory. Tell me your bit first, because I’ve a feeling that the two will sync up.’
‘OK, she replied. ‘Like you and Hortense, I’ve wondered about the John the Baptist church in Rennes-le-Château turning into a St Peters, and the Baptist one being barely known in Rennes-le-Château history anymore. Arques church used to be a John the Baptist too, but that was changed to St Anne, though no one seems to know why. Couiza is a John the Baptist, and Le Bezu, and lots of others close by. The statue at Rennes-le-Château has always puzzled me, since Jesus looks so submissive; he’s almost grovelling at John’s feet. Anyway, I visited Brenac again recently.’
Brenac was a small village about twenty minutes from Antugnac. The church was fascinating because of its odd statues and wall paintings, although I hadn’t been there for a few years.
She continued. ‘I couldn’t stop looking at the two side chapels at the back. One has a painting of John baptising Jesus. Again, John looks so much larger and stronger, and Jesus so submissive and weak. God hovers above them, saying “You Are My Son,” although it isn’t entirely clear which one he’s referring to.’
* * *
‘The other side chapel is even more odd, and took me a while to work out. There are statues of a man, a woman with a child, another woman, and below them on the floor, what looks like a half-dead Jesus, his blue eyes open just a few millimetres. I’m sure that the man is Joseph and the woman in the middle is his wife, Mary, holding baby Jesus. The woman to her left is obviously Germaine, with the flowers in her skirts, but why put Germaine in that family scene? And why put Jesus down on the floor like that, dead or alive? What was Courtade, the priest there at the time and a friend of Saunière’s, trying to say?’ She paused for a moment.
‘There’s another Germaine in the main church, so clearly, a point is trying to be made. St Elizabeth, the supposed mother of John the Baptist and aunt or cousin of Mary, Jesus’s mother, is also in the nave. Apparently, Elizabeth had John when she was a barren old woman. I’ll come back to that in a minute, but as part of my research I’ve been looking at paintings of Jesus and John as children and grown men, particularly those of the Middle Ages and the hundred or so years after. In so many of them, the
y look identical, whatever their age, apart from their hairstyles.’ She clicked away at her laptop as she spoke, then pushed it across to me.
‘Look. The curious thing is, that John almost always has his forefinger pointing, either at Jesus or upwards and Jesus always raises two. There has always been speculation about this, but with no conclusions worth noting. Even Da Vinci’s Last Supper has Thomas raising a finger, which I’ll come back too. Going back to Brenac, under the statue of Mary, and above Jesus on the floor, is some writing, “Court Freres” – brief, or fleeting, brothers. It’s wordplay again. There’s a carved wooden pillar that comes up between the two words and, swivelled out of the way, it reads “Courtade Brothers.”
‘I was on my way home when it came to me. Germaine had a stepmother – perhaps John the Baptist did too? Perhaps Mary had twins, and gave one to Elizabeth because she couldn’t have her own? The baby she is holding is John, not Jesus, and the statue of Jesus on the floor below them firstly takes Jesus down from the cross, and secondly, puts him in second place: John above, Jesus below. The single raised finger from John in all the paintings? He’s saying, “I was the first” – the first child to be born of the twins. And Thomas in the Last Supper pointing up one finger? The name Thomas in Hebrew means twin. Perhaps he’s reminding everyone of John too. Some say that Jesus’s two raised fingers are a type of blessing, but my view is that he’s being portrayed stating that he was the second twin. At Brenac, there’s even a statue of two angels holding one crown at the front of the church.’
‘I’ve seen it,’ I replied. ‘And in Rennes-le-Château both Joseph and Mary hold a baby each. I thought your theory would lead onto mine. So here goes.’
The Priests' Code Page 27
