[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
had been the cause of two deaths now. It was agreed they would
use the wooden swords. As for the parts, Agnes could dress up
in the Devil s costume, Robert would be the Saracen knight, and
Simon St George. The mock fight would take place over Margaret,
playing the part of the King of Egypt s daughter. Agnes hoped she
would not notice the irony of a death resulting from two men
154
fighting over her. What a pity they could not resurrect Stefano as
they did the knight in the mummers play. Of course the Doctor,
who carried out the resurrection, was the part they had inevitably
given to Master Falconer. Will, as ever, would simply play the
Fool.
Come on. We need to hurry if we are to be there before nones.
Zerach de Alemmania could not imagine why Master Falconer
wanted him to go round to Aristotle s Hall that afternoon. The
invitation had been brought by a breathless youth who hammered
at his door like a second visitation from the King s soldiers. He
had been surprised when he peered fearfully through the shutters
that screened the interior of the house from the lane to see a
skinny youth waiting impatiently on his threshold. There was no
sign of any soldiery, so Zerach unbolted his door and peeped out
of the gap, holding his shoulder against the door to resist any
attack. The skinny youth had merely recited a request from
Falconer to come to his hall immediately after nones. Having got
the Jew s startled confirmation that he would indeed go, the
youth thrust a note into his hand and sped off down the lane.
The note, which was also from Falconer, puzzled him even more,
but it was worded so insistently, calling on their common
friendship with Friar Bacon, and asking for complete secrecy,
that Zerach hurried down to his cellar to comply with the request.
Edward Petysance and the Prior of St Frideswide s were
embarrassed to meet each other at the head of the lane leading
to Aristotle s Hall. Since their acrimonious encounter in Fish
Street a few days before, they had studiously avoided each other.
Petysance s flaunting of his holy relic outside the very doors of
St Frideswide s Church had angered the Prior, and he had secretly
exulted at the fracas with the Jews. For his part, Petysance had
been delighted that the Prior s funding of the plays cycle had
been sullied by the murder of de Askeles. Neither wished to
speak to the other now, but the presence of the Prior s porter,
bearing a lantern to light the prelate s way, required they publicly
acknowledge each other s presence. The Prior spoke first as they
proceeded down the gloomy alley.
Regent Master Falconer sent a message that he had urgent
business appertaining to the & er & incident at the end of the
plays. And that I should arrive shortly after nones. Some scrawny
youth brought his request and ran away before I could even think
155
of declining. So I thought it best to come and discover what it
was all about.
Petysance s response was equally terse. It would seem the
same skinny youth delivered the same message to me. Arrive
after nones but it was to do with the outrage perpetrated on me
by the Jews. Though I don t know how he proposes to resolve the
matter, when such sacrilege has occurred.
The Prior muttered a formal concurrence with Petysance s sense
of anger at the desecration. The formal niceties observed, they
proceeded in tense silence side by side towards Falconer s door.
I don t know why you could not have got Cressant to do this for
you. He seems willing to do your every bidding.
Deulegard was fuming at being made to assist the ancient
Jehozadok to call upon his friend Falconer. In fact he was
astonished that the old man wanted to stir out of doors at all,
least of all when night was falling. Jehozadok had not left his
house for months, and now he wanted to make some mad
excursion to some student hostel. No explanation was
forthcoming, other than that it was necessary to go, and that
Deulegard was his chosen aide. The journey, nothing for a fit
young man, was proving an arduous campaign for the old rabbi.
He leaned heavily on Deulegard s arm as they negotiated the
mud that threatened at each step to rob Jehozadok of his footing.
Every so often they stopped to allow the old man to regain his
breath, and Deulegard fumed even more at each delay. The rabbi
should not be out at such a time; even he should not be out at
such a time. But Jehozadok hobbled stubbornly on. What
Deulegard didn t know was that the rabbi could have walked much
faster, but his friend Falconer had stipulated that they should
be the last to arrive, and he wanted to ensure that that was what
happened.
Simon and Robert carried the chest with their costumes and
properties out to the back room in Aristotle s Hall. It had been a
kitchen, but the pans that remained were dusty and unused, the
hearth cold and piled with logs stored for the fire in the main
hall. Falconer could not afford to employ a servant, and the
students had little inclination to cook for themselves. What meals
were eaten in hall were cold and frugal when the students
could afford it they ate in the taverns they frequented in the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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had been the cause of two deaths now. It was agreed they would
use the wooden swords. As for the parts, Agnes could dress up
in the Devil s costume, Robert would be the Saracen knight, and
Simon St George. The mock fight would take place over Margaret,
playing the part of the King of Egypt s daughter. Agnes hoped she
would not notice the irony of a death resulting from two men
154
fighting over her. What a pity they could not resurrect Stefano as
they did the knight in the mummers play. Of course the Doctor,
who carried out the resurrection, was the part they had inevitably
given to Master Falconer. Will, as ever, would simply play the
Fool.
Come on. We need to hurry if we are to be there before nones.
Zerach de Alemmania could not imagine why Master Falconer
wanted him to go round to Aristotle s Hall that afternoon. The
invitation had been brought by a breathless youth who hammered
at his door like a second visitation from the King s soldiers. He
had been surprised when he peered fearfully through the shutters
that screened the interior of the house from the lane to see a
skinny youth waiting impatiently on his threshold. There was no
sign of any soldiery, so Zerach unbolted his door and peeped out
of the gap, holding his shoulder against the door to resist any
attack. The skinny youth had merely recited a request from
Falconer to come to his hall immediately after nones. Having got
the Jew s startled confirmation that he would indeed go, the
youth thrust a note into his hand and sped off down the lane.
The note, which was also from Falconer, puzzled him even more,
but it was worded so insistently, calling on their common
friendship with Friar Bacon, and asking for complete secrecy,
that Zerach hurried down to his cellar to comply with the request.
Edward Petysance and the Prior of St Frideswide s were
embarrassed to meet each other at the head of the lane leading
to Aristotle s Hall. Since their acrimonious encounter in Fish
Street a few days before, they had studiously avoided each other.
Petysance s flaunting of his holy relic outside the very doors of
St Frideswide s Church had angered the Prior, and he had secretly
exulted at the fracas with the Jews. For his part, Petysance had
been delighted that the Prior s funding of the plays cycle had
been sullied by the murder of de Askeles. Neither wished to
speak to the other now, but the presence of the Prior s porter,
bearing a lantern to light the prelate s way, required they publicly
acknowledge each other s presence. The Prior spoke first as they
proceeded down the gloomy alley.
Regent Master Falconer sent a message that he had urgent
business appertaining to the & er & incident at the end of the
plays. And that I should arrive shortly after nones. Some scrawny
youth brought his request and ran away before I could even think
155
of declining. So I thought it best to come and discover what it
was all about.
Petysance s response was equally terse. It would seem the
same skinny youth delivered the same message to me. Arrive
after nones but it was to do with the outrage perpetrated on me
by the Jews. Though I don t know how he proposes to resolve the
matter, when such sacrilege has occurred.
The Prior muttered a formal concurrence with Petysance s sense
of anger at the desecration. The formal niceties observed, they
proceeded in tense silence side by side towards Falconer s door.
I don t know why you could not have got Cressant to do this for
you. He seems willing to do your every bidding.
Deulegard was fuming at being made to assist the ancient
Jehozadok to call upon his friend Falconer. In fact he was
astonished that the old man wanted to stir out of doors at all,
least of all when night was falling. Jehozadok had not left his
house for months, and now he wanted to make some mad
excursion to some student hostel. No explanation was
forthcoming, other than that it was necessary to go, and that
Deulegard was his chosen aide. The journey, nothing for a fit
young man, was proving an arduous campaign for the old rabbi.
He leaned heavily on Deulegard s arm as they negotiated the
mud that threatened at each step to rob Jehozadok of his footing.
Every so often they stopped to allow the old man to regain his
breath, and Deulegard fumed even more at each delay. The rabbi
should not be out at such a time; even he should not be out at
such a time. But Jehozadok hobbled stubbornly on. What
Deulegard didn t know was that the rabbi could have walked much
faster, but his friend Falconer had stipulated that they should
be the last to arrive, and he wanted to ensure that that was what
happened.
Simon and Robert carried the chest with their costumes and
properties out to the back room in Aristotle s Hall. It had been a
kitchen, but the pans that remained were dusty and unused, the
hearth cold and piled with logs stored for the fire in the main
hall. Falconer could not afford to employ a servant, and the
students had little inclination to cook for themselves. What meals
were eaten in hall were cold and frugal when the students
could afford it they ate in the taverns they frequented in the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]