Temple of the Grail(73)

‘What information would please you?’ he asked meekly.

‘Generally speaking . . .’ he waved a pale hand in a suggestion of boredom.

‘There are no general rules, your grace, every patient must, and should be assessed for a specific treatment.’

The inquisitor smiled, indicating his magnanimity and his remarkable patience. ‘Give me an example.’

‘Let me see . . .’ The monk frowned, ‘Would you like me to name various treatments for a specific disease, or one specific treatment for various diseases?’

There was a puzzled silence. ‘Just tell me anything, anything at all.’

He thought for a moment. ‘Well, in that case I shall start. We use hot mustard and borage compresses for consumption and ailments of the chest.’ He paused and the inquisitor waved him on. ‘A paste made of foxglove for conditions connected with the region of the heart, garlic poultices for stubborn wounds, valerian for calming the nerves. We also use the organs of animals. One may occasionally prescribe the powdered horn of deer, the bile of vipers, the semen of frogs and animal excrement, such as ass’ dung – which is very fine for promoting fertility. Though I have not had occasion to use it.’ He paused, and there was a faint humorous murmur around us. This did not please the inquisitor, for he waved the infirmarian on, this time with annoyance.

‘And of course, Theriacum . . . by far the most used drug in many infirmaries, a mixture composed of some fifty-seven substances of which the chief element is the flesh of poisonous snakes. Of course, there are also other methods such as purges, baths, cautery, surgery of which the Eastern infidels were masters. Is there anything in particular that you would like to know?’ he asked, squinting a little.

Raising his arms in an exaggerated gesture of incredulity, the inquisitor said, ‘From whence does your inexhaustible knowledge spring? Have you studied medicine in Paris? Or are there other means of procuring such information?’

There was a shy smile, ‘I have not had the good fortune to attend formal training, but as I showed a natural propensity in this field when I was a novice, I was encouraged to study under Brother Setubar, my predecessor. Also there are many treatises available on this subject, as you know.’

‘Brother Setubar?’

‘Yes, but he is now retired to a contemplative life, though he assists me at all times.’

‘I see. And did he too rely on these treatises you have just mentioned?’

‘Of course.’

‘And from whence did you procure these manuscripts?’

‘Brother Macabus supplies us with what we need from our library, we need only to ask.’

‘I see . . . I see, and was brother Ezekiel, that is the brother who was brutally murdered, also a past librarian?’

‘He was a translator, although we have not established that he was murdered, your grace. He was old, like our Brother Samuel.’

‘Brother Samuel?’ the inquisitor paused. ‘Who is Brother Samuel?’

There was a nervous pause. ‘He was the master of music.’

‘And where is he?’ the inquisitor glanced about the chapter house. There was an uncomfortable stillness. ‘Well?’ he pressed.

‘Brother Samuel died some days ago,’ Asa answered, after a momentary hesitation.

Rainiero Sacconi turned once more towards the dais and said, ‘And how did he die?’

The infirmarian became ashen-faced. ‘He was found in the church, gasping for air and he expired shortly after.’

‘What do you believe caused his death?’

‘I do not know.’

‘Could a poison have led to his untimely demise?’

‘Perhaps, some poisons leave no trace. It would be difficult to say.’

‘What poison could have caused his symptoms?’

‘There are poisons that have the effect of cutting off breathing by paralysing the muscles of the lungs.’

‘But what are these poisons?’

‘There are any number of poisons, your grace.’

‘And Brother Ezekiel? Could he have died as a result of being poisoned in the same way?’

‘It is possible, but I did not say brother Samuel was poisoned.’

‘No, all we need to know is that this is possible,’ the inquisitor appeared pleased, ‘and yet it is of no interest to this inquiry how either of the poor unfortunate brothers died, for we know the evil one works in manifold ways. What does interest us, however, is the use of heretical texts for the purposes of extracting cures through sorcery and black magic! Perhaps someone at this abbey has invoked the Devil, and now does not know the formula by which to release him, and so he continues to wander about killing monks.’