[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
intent, low thieves who would steal or destroy? But the deed was done, and I could but trust God to
make it right.'
Cait lowered her eyes modestly, hoping the priest would not see the waves of guilt washing over her.
They had come, like low thieves, to steal the cup for themselves. The simple, trusting faith of Brother
Matthias put her to shame, and she was on the brink of admitting it to the priest, confessing her sin and
asking for absolution when her sister spoke up.
' God has sent us to you,' declared Alethea with quiet but undeniable conviction.
Cait glanced at her in furtive amazement, only to see that the young woman was hi utter and solemn
earnest - and this astonished her even more. Mouthing untruth with such brazen audacity must be the
worst kind of blasphemy, certainly. She was still trying to take in the enormity of Alethea's sacrilege when
Lord Rognvald said, 'Archbishop Bertrano also feared for the safety of the cup. He told us that, owing to
the reconquest of the land, he considered it only a matter of time before the Holy Cup fell into the hands
of the Moors.' The knight smiled, his broad countenance shining with the light of a golden day, and the
joy of blessed assurance. 'That is why he sent us. With God's help, we will rescue the cup and bear it
away to safety before any ill can befall it.'
Grinning, Brother Matthias leaned forward and embraced his visitors - first Alethea, then Rognvald, and
then Cait. 'I, too, believe God has sent you,' he said. 'I have often worried that I had done wrong by
sending word to the archbishop; and as often as I worried I prayed God would grant me his peace in the
matter. In you, my friends, this peace has finally come. I thank God for it, and for you.'
Unable to bear seeing the unsuspecting priest deceived and deluded still further, Cait made bold to lay
bare the fraud that she and the others had perpetrated. 'Please, it is not what you think,' she began.
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'Nothing ever is, sister,' replied the monk cheerfully. 'Where God is concerned, surprise abounds. Our
Heavenly Father delights in the unexpected, the unforeseen, serendipitous circumstance and happy
accident.'
'Ours is a God of surprises,' Alethea affirmed.
Cait stared at the others, unable to speak.
'My friends, I am convinced the Lord has sent you. What is more, I feel he is sending me, too.' The
monk's grin widened still further. 'I will lead you to the Mystic Rose.'
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
When the party departed Palencia four days later, they were mere travellers no longer; they had become
pilgrims, destined for a holy place. And, for at least two of their number, the journey had taken on
profound spiritual significance.
Rognvald and Alethea maintained that the sudden stirring of reverence and devotion was a genuine
awakening. 'I see it so clearly now,' Alethea insisted. It was the night before they were to leave, and the
three were talking alone in the magistrate's walled courtyard. 'We have been chosen to save the Holy
Cup and deliver it to safety.'
'How can you say that?' demanded Cait, 'when you know I was the one who took the letter from the
Templars?'
'As the Holy Word says: What you intended for evil,' Rognvald intoned, 'God has destined for good. So
be it.'
'And you!' Cait charged. 7 bought your release, not the angels, and that for one purpose only - to help
me steal the relic.'
'God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform,' replied the knight placidly. 'As for myself, I
never doubted that Our Great Redeemer had a hand in your scheme. Surely, it is the divine will that we
should rescue the Sacred Vessel from the iniquity of desecration.'
Cait shook her head in disbelief at what she was hearing. 'You sound more like a priest every day, my
lord,' she grumbled. 'Perhaps you should join a monastery where your preaching would be more
appreciated.'
'Only a fool mocks what he does not understand,' the knight replied, unperturbed by Cait's outburst. 'Is
it so difficult to believe that, in spite of your intentions, Our Great Lord has ordained us to this task, and
even now guides us to our destination?'
It was no use talking sense to them, Cait decided, they were so full of holy foolishness that they could
not see the blunt, obvious, mud-ugly fact that the whole enterprise was founded on a mass of lies, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
intent, low thieves who would steal or destroy? But the deed was done, and I could but trust God to
make it right.'
Cait lowered her eyes modestly, hoping the priest would not see the waves of guilt washing over her.
They had come, like low thieves, to steal the cup for themselves. The simple, trusting faith of Brother
Matthias put her to shame, and she was on the brink of admitting it to the priest, confessing her sin and
asking for absolution when her sister spoke up.
' God has sent us to you,' declared Alethea with quiet but undeniable conviction.
Cait glanced at her in furtive amazement, only to see that the young woman was hi utter and solemn
earnest - and this astonished her even more. Mouthing untruth with such brazen audacity must be the
worst kind of blasphemy, certainly. She was still trying to take in the enormity of Alethea's sacrilege when
Lord Rognvald said, 'Archbishop Bertrano also feared for the safety of the cup. He told us that, owing to
the reconquest of the land, he considered it only a matter of time before the Holy Cup fell into the hands
of the Moors.' The knight smiled, his broad countenance shining with the light of a golden day, and the
joy of blessed assurance. 'That is why he sent us. With God's help, we will rescue the cup and bear it
away to safety before any ill can befall it.'
Grinning, Brother Matthias leaned forward and embraced his visitors - first Alethea, then Rognvald, and
then Cait. 'I, too, believe God has sent you,' he said. 'I have often worried that I had done wrong by
sending word to the archbishop; and as often as I worried I prayed God would grant me his peace in the
matter. In you, my friends, this peace has finally come. I thank God for it, and for you.'
Unable to bear seeing the unsuspecting priest deceived and deluded still further, Cait made bold to lay
bare the fraud that she and the others had perpetrated. 'Please, it is not what you think,' she began.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
'Nothing ever is, sister,' replied the monk cheerfully. 'Where God is concerned, surprise abounds. Our
Heavenly Father delights in the unexpected, the unforeseen, serendipitous circumstance and happy
accident.'
'Ours is a God of surprises,' Alethea affirmed.
Cait stared at the others, unable to speak.
'My friends, I am convinced the Lord has sent you. What is more, I feel he is sending me, too.' The
monk's grin widened still further. 'I will lead you to the Mystic Rose.'
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
When the party departed Palencia four days later, they were mere travellers no longer; they had become
pilgrims, destined for a holy place. And, for at least two of their number, the journey had taken on
profound spiritual significance.
Rognvald and Alethea maintained that the sudden stirring of reverence and devotion was a genuine
awakening. 'I see it so clearly now,' Alethea insisted. It was the night before they were to leave, and the
three were talking alone in the magistrate's walled courtyard. 'We have been chosen to save the Holy
Cup and deliver it to safety.'
'How can you say that?' demanded Cait, 'when you know I was the one who took the letter from the
Templars?'
'As the Holy Word says: What you intended for evil,' Rognvald intoned, 'God has destined for good. So
be it.'
'And you!' Cait charged. 7 bought your release, not the angels, and that for one purpose only - to help
me steal the relic.'
'God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform,' replied the knight placidly. 'As for myself, I
never doubted that Our Great Redeemer had a hand in your scheme. Surely, it is the divine will that we
should rescue the Sacred Vessel from the iniquity of desecration.'
Cait shook her head in disbelief at what she was hearing. 'You sound more like a priest every day, my
lord,' she grumbled. 'Perhaps you should join a monastery where your preaching would be more
appreciated.'
'Only a fool mocks what he does not understand,' the knight replied, unperturbed by Cait's outburst. 'Is
it so difficult to believe that, in spite of your intentions, Our Great Lord has ordained us to this task, and
even now guides us to our destination?'
It was no use talking sense to them, Cait decided, they were so full of holy foolishness that they could
not see the blunt, obvious, mud-ugly fact that the whole enterprise was founded on a mass of lies, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]