‘Does it mean with the sign one conquers the Devil?’
‘Yes.’ He looked at her. ‘The sign of the cross . . . The interesting thing is that in the magic square, the word tenet forms a cross; tenet means to hold. The one who holds the cross, or in this case the sign – the key that is missing from the grimoires – can vanquish or become the master of Satan himself . . . just a conjecture.’
‘I see.’
The church wasn’t large. Directly ahead on the west wall there was a confessional, above it a striking relief of the Sermon on the Mount. Running west to east the nave was tiled in black and white leading to the altar. On either side there were pews and on the walls representations of the Stations of the Cross, as well as the obligatory saints. There was a pulpit to the left, stained-glass windows high up, and the vaulted ceiling was painted blue and studded with stars.
‘Can I help you?’
Rahn saw the shape of a priest in the glare of the doorway.
‘I heard we had visitors in town,’ he said. ‘I’m the curator – Abbé Lucien.’ He came forwards out of the light and Rahn noted that his face was so youthful it looked like it had never seen a razor. His hand showed the slightest tremor as they shook hands.
‘News travels fast,’ Rahn said to him.
‘Well, I saw Madame Corfu on the way back from my walk.’ He glanced furtively at Eva and blushed violently. To cover it he bent his head, touching the tip of his black hat.
Eva smiled in answer.
‘We don’t often see . . . people. It seems that you are a cause célèbre. I hear that you are interested in the Hautpoul family.’
‘Yes,’ Rahn said.
‘I’m not an expert but I know a thing or two.’
‘We were enjoying looking around your church,’ Rahn said.
‘Quite unusual, isn’t it? The man who renovated it was a rather interesting priest.’
‘Interesting, in what way?’
‘Oh he was quite . . . uncommon . . . if you know my meaning.’ He leant in. ‘I’m not supposed to talk about him!’ There was a nervous chuckle.
‘No?’
‘No, orders from above.’ He indicated the ribbed vaults of the church with a finger, like a young, unbearded John the Baptist.
‘From God?’ Rahn asked.
‘What?’
‘Your orders?’
‘Oh no!’ The young priest blushed again and laughed it off as best he could. ‘No, dear me, no! From the bishop at Carcassonne. But I could tell you something about the church, and if he comes into it—’ he lowered his voice, ‘—well, one can’t help that, can one? A little tour perhaps?’
‘We would be delighted,’ Eva said ingratiatingly. ‘If you don’t have more pressing matters to attend to, that is.’
‘Oh, no, not at all.’ A sad expression entered his cow-like brown eyes. ‘I’m really very free – the people haven’t grown accustomed to me yet, I’m afraid. They keep very much to themselves. Bitten once, you see, twice shy.’
‘Surely they come to church on Sundays?’ Rahn said.
‘Yes, but not all of them, there are some who have fallen away from the flock. But that’s not your concern, is it? Alright.’ He rubbed his hands together. ‘Let’s see, shall we? What can I tell you…first, a little history . . . what do you know so far?’
‘Next to nothing,’ Rahn said.
‘Well, where shall we start? This village was a large Visigoth centre in its day. You wouldn’t know it now but thousands of people lived here. When the Franks defeated the Visigoths they sold the village and eventually it came into the hands of the Trencavel family. You may have heard of Roger Trencavel, the great Cathar.’
‘This town belonged to the Cathars?’
‘Indeed, and they, in turn, were conquered by the Catholic Crusader, Simon de Montfort. Perhaps the heretics cursed the town because after that it was bedevilled by the plague and under constant attack from mercenaries – until it was almost completely destroyed. So, to cut a long story short, the village eventually came under the governorship of the Hautpoul-Blancheforts. Marie de Nègre d’Ables Hautpoul-Blanchefort was the last in their line. Her castle is fallen into ruin as you no doubt have seen.’
‘Blanchefort?’ Rahn said. ‘Isn’t that the name of one of the Grand Masters of the Templar order?’
‘Indeed. The Blancheforts were Cathars but they also belonged to the Temple. This place is dotted with Templar castles because it formed a part of the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela.’
‘And what about the church?’ Eva asked.