Luther and Stanislav make their way to the graveyard where they inspect the mausoleum, a squat limestone building overgrown with moss and ivy. It features blocks with relief carvings of crosses matching the design of the cross on the cover of Pallaver's book of Latin text. The door is made of iron, with a plate in the center which may be swung aside to reveal a small keyhole; the door features neither handle nor hinges. Overall, the structure looks quite old, probably dating from the colonial era.
After a thorough examination Luther finds a single footprint on a patch of bare ground beneath the brush behind the mausoleum. It's age is hard to tell given the recent rains, as are it's particulars - it has been reduced to little more than an oblong shallow. He is certain, however, that it was made by a boot, shoe, or other piece of footwear.
Amaya finds Oukonunaka to be very deliberate in his response. White owl? Is the word the name for the animal? or is the term for “white” there? She is pleased at how much the slow pace of the conversation suits her—she considers the possibilities of the new language. Naka. Nunaka….
Amaya watches Oukonunaka point at her hand, almost in slow motion. A talon? That’s a new one. Amaya thinks back humorously to the various jeers and teases that she received as a child. In response, she feels a smile play across her eyes and immediately worries that she may appear to be inwardly laughing at the young man. The humor disappears on its own as a more sobering thought comes to the fore. Is he mocking me? Does his name have anything to do with owls? Her eyes have narrowed by the time Oukonunaka describes their intertwined fates. His sincerity softens her doubts. Well, he believes it. We’re together for a month, anyway, she thinks as Oukonunaka resumes smoking.
Amaya’s patronizing doubts are pushed aside by the solemnity of Oukonunaka’s subsequent remarks, although the elegiac delivery does not entirely sway Amaya as to their content. Burned? Cleansed? The latter word sticks in her mind when he repeats it. Amaya is less anxious than before to hide the disrespect that may be showing in her expression. A shaman? However, she finds the young man’s conviction compelling as her eyes search his darkened countenance; she ends up displaying a contemplative frown.
Amaya thinks back to her own response to Pallaver’s journal the previous evening and is disquieted anew. She blinks while considering the possible gravity of their situation but soon recovers her academic rationality—whether well-placed or not. How can I respond without insulting him? She holds her frown and meets his gaze while she formulates a response.
“Dr Pallaver’s possessions, though perhaps unclean, are the books in our care.” Amaya speaks slowly and is pleased that she succeeded in avoiding a condescending tone. “We cannot destroy them and so we must learn to live with them. I mean to study them and to respect Dr Pallaver by understanding his efforts.” Amaya pauses as she realizes that Oukonunaka may be illiterate. She decides to offer a token gesture, but with the sincere hope that it can gain meaning through their continued relationship. “I would welcome your opinion of their content, if you would discuss them with me.”
"Fear not, I have vowed to deliver the books, and I shall see that done."
Once delivered though.....
Oukonunaka takes a pull on his pipe and exhales.
"I appreciate your offer, but I shall not read the books. Knowledge once known cannot be unknown. Dr. Pallaver said the tomes could lead to dire circumstances in the wrong circumstances. Who is to say what the right circumstance is?"
His pipe finished, Oukonunaka carefully cleans, disassembles and returns it to its special pouch.
Luther approaches the mausoleum and grunts appreciatively. Those crosses look familiar... I must have a look at that book when I return.
He mutters intermittent comments toward Stanislav as he methodically searches the building and the vicinity.
"Quite an old construction. And quite a sturdy door...no hinges or knob, which is interesting...keyhole here behind this plate. I wonder if it still works..."
He examines the keyhole and the edges of the door more closely, looking for fresh scratches or other evidence of recent entry.
He moves out to the surrounding grounds, examining the ground and poking about under the surrounding brush. What's this? He gauges the dimensions of the shallow print as best he can against his own foot.
"Well, nothing recent, anyway," he concludes.
He returns to Stanislav with a shrug. "Thank you for humoring me. At least it's a pleasant day. Shall we head back?"
As the men begin walking, he continues. "It's getting on time for lunch. Perhaps we should stop at the market and bring back some fowl for a stew or somesuch. I am reluctant to impose more than we must on poor Katherine." He continues a bit sheepishly. "I don't know what got into me this morning -- I apologize. I think this whole affair has me a bit spooked."
As Oukonunaka mentions his vow to deliver the books, Amaya thinks of the month ahead and of the impending trip to St. Louis. She has couriered books between universities before and has always thoroughly enjoyed the travelling, the reading, and the experiences in the new scholarly communities. It is the similarity of the current task to the previous ones that disturbs Amaya the most. Why would Professor Pallaver assemble such a group as us?, she thinks as she watches Oukonunaka exhale his smoke. If we are delivering to professors at Washington, why not simply trust their librarians? She recalls her reading from the night before: “I leave this journal where my enemies will not find it.”
Oukonunaka’s declaration that he will not read the books pushes Amaya further into her burgeoning fear. Cannot be unknown? The statement from Oukonunaka triggers another recollection from the journal: “He desires to learn that which I know to be forbidden.” Amaya absently watches Oukonunaka pack up his pipe—pondering the books, the knowledge, the enemies.
Amaya has little experience fearing knowledge—and much experience adoring it—and so the feeling of fear passes. She simply cannot imagine avoiding books: certainly not books that are central to the task. Indeed, seeing Oukonunaka with his pouch makes her wish that she had a book at hand as her own pipe. Instead, she exhales the Spring air, relaxes, sits back, and picks up her teacup for a sip.
“Well, if we didn’t read them, we couldn’t possibly hope to judge their circumstances,” Amaya states politely, looking at Oukonunaka while she speaks, then more distantly off the porch as she rests back in her chair, not unhappy but not smiling. Amaya turns her head back to the young man to offer a concluding remark, “Thank you for our chat.” She looks back out over the yard and holds her cup in her hands on her lap.
Luther and Stanislav walk back through town, stopping in at the General Store for some fresh meat and eggs where the locals give them some curious looks. The pair then return to the Pallaver residence with their bounty. Amaya and Oukonunaka see them from the veranda as they walk up the road towards the house.
As the two men enter the front door, Katherine comes down the back stair, now fully dressed and looking much refreshed.
"Oh, you've gone and gotten supplies." She sounds slightly disappointed. "I have some errands to run in town as well, shouldn't take me more than an hour. There's wild apples out back if you'd like some." She retrieves a bonnet from a peg in the hall and puts it on, smiling at the pair. "If you make some extra I'll eat it when I get back."
Oukonunaka rises from his seat to greet Ms. Pallaver, Dr. Vredovsky, and Mr. Clark.
"Good afternoon Ms. Pallaver, gentlemen."
He bows his his slightly to each individual. He then turns to address Ms. Pallaver.
"Would you like me to accompany you Ms. Pallaver? I can provide escort. The townsfolk may still be on edge."
"I appreciate the offer, but that's not necessary. I've lived here my whole life; I don't think anyone is going to be more likely to give me a difficult time now that my father has passed."
The doctor clears his throat. "Even so, Katherine, after last night I think we'd all feel better if someone went with you, no? I will come with you, just in case you should have a fainting spell or the like. And I already have my suit on! Is good?"
Stanislav gives Luther and Oukonunaka a reassuring look as he gently maneuvers Katherine by the elbow towards the door.
"Oh! Well.. I suppose you're right, Dr. Vredovsky. " Katherine gives a curtsy to everyone at the door before she and Stanislav leave for town.
"Oh, the apples sound great, thank you. Yes, we'll see you then." Clark makes an awkward goodbye to the daughter and the doctor while greeting the others.
He mutters as he watches the pair recede into the distance. "I suppose that was rather gauche. I am no good at this sort of thing." He turns to the others. "How has your morning been?" He shrugs awkwardly with his armload of meats. "Shall we head inside?"
He sets the provisions down on the kitchen table and continues. "Dr. Vedrovsky and I discussed some of this," he gestures about the house vaguely, "with Father Grimsby after the Mass." He lowers his voice a bit. "Albert was Pallaver's son! Katherine's brother? I gather that he used to work with his father but there was a rather dramatic falling out. Grimsby was quite animated about it -- he said that Albert had renounced the Christian faith along with his father's ideals and faith in humanity, and betrayed him. 'Turned from the light,' as he put it."
He continues on to discuss the history of the Catholicon and Foramen, then comes back around to the other bits of information.
"Grimsby seems to have been quite close with Dr. Pallaver. He said that he noticed that his friend was troubled recently, but they had not discussed the reasons."
"He mentioned that August had always been fascinated with the mausoleum, which predates the town. I looked around, but didn't find obvious signs of activity there. Nothing recent, anyway. The stonework on it does feature stylized crosses which might match the one on one of the Doctor's books. So we should have a look at that."
His eyes widen and he pats at his breast pocket. "Oh my! I'd forgotten that I had the key in my pocket here -- my apologies. I suppose I've been dreading it, but we shall have to face them at some point."
Amaya is still seated in silence when the men approach the house upon their return. She sees the parcels that they are carrying and does not feel inclined to help—nor to be the person who is tasked with storing it all in the kitchen. She is slow to rise and keeps both her hands busy holding her tea cup. Amaya smiles and nods to the men as they reach the veranda. As they enter the house and speak with Katherine, Amaya stands nearest the door and listens. Amaya smiles at Katherine as the young woman and Stanislav head back out.
Amaya follows Luther to the kitchen. She pours herself another cup of tea as Luther sets down the provisions. She makes sure that he sees that more tea is available to him—however, she hastens nearer to him at the table as he seems eager to talk.
His son?! Betrayal? As she listens, Amaya lowers her tea cup to the table and rests her hands on either side of it. Amaya recalls, for the second time in the last hour, the passage in Pallaver’s journal about Albert’s pursuit of forbidden knowledge—about how they were working on the same project but for different reasons. The only disagreement between Albert and Pallaver seemed to be the direction of the research. I wonder if this “betrayal” is mentioned in the journal.
At the revelation of the deaths in the Catholicon fire, Amaya listens even more intently, bearing more weight on her hands as she leans forward slightly. Oh, my. Amaya was not particularly affected by the plight of the patients when she slogged through her Catholicon reading, but the thought of them perishing in the fire with their doctors saddens her.
“I’m sorry to hear about the hospital fire. I read the doctors’ treatise. They did dedicated work, with some success.” What a tragedy. I don’t blame this town if they are still not healed. Perhaps the farmers at the cemetery were also poking around the Catholicon before Prof Pallaver’s death, leaving the footprints that were seen.
Is all of this talk of forbidden knowledge simply elderly Christians lamenting Albert losing his faith? What was “sewn” at the ruins of the hospital? Perhaps nothing.
If the mausoleum predates this town, then we can study it free from all of these prejudices. I should read the book with the leather cross next. Amaya reaches for the key. “Thank you. I am happy to read that book of the professor’s.”
“I think that we need to investigate all of these matters ourselves.” I wonder if we can trust Pallaver's own opinion of these ideas; surely he was torn—with Grimsby's help—by the estrangement of his son. She looks up at Luther. “Thank you for looking over the mausoleum.”
Miss Harvey spends several hours in study of the book which bears the same cross as was found on the mausoleum.
While written in Latin, the book at first seems to be nonsense - it is random words separated by punctuation which she is sure is some sort of cypher. Unfortunately, without any reference or clue as to the nature of the code she is unable to decipher it, despite her best efforts.
She can however study the book's illuminations. They are quite beautiful and detailed: the first page is an illustration which depicts some sort of daytime feast or celebration presided over by four kings on thrones; thirteen large, half-page illuminations are spread throughout the book, each incorporating the first letter of text on the page; and on the back of the final page of the book is another full-page illustration, this time depicting the same setting as the first, but at night without any kings/celebrants and with spiders and cobwebs hanging down. Much smaller embellishments and designs are also present throughout.
"I'm sorry to hear about the hospital fire. I read the doctors' treatise. They did dedicated work, with some success."
"Hm. I believe Father Gregory approved of their motives, but seemed unimpressed with the results. In any case, it is indeed a sad story. I wonder if we might learn more about the circumstances around the fire."
"I think that we need to investigate all of these matters ourselves."
"Yes, I think you're right. At some point I would like to look around at the hospital itself, though it may be dangerous. We should learn what we can first. I may have a look at the strange King James bible after lunch." He hands over the key to Amaya.
As noone else seems to be volunteering, Clark prepares a simple meal of sausages and hard-boiled eggs, supplemented with apples. He sets aside some of the choicer bits for Katherine, some of the rest for Stanislav, and shares lunch to the others if they are interested.
After lunch, settles in to look through the Bible, jotting down notes as he skims through, paying particular attention to the marked sections.
While Amaya studies the Latin cypher, Luther reads the ribboned sections found in the antique King James Bible.
Text:
2 When the young man left home, accompanied by the angel, the dog followed Tobiah out and went along with them. Both journeyed along, and when the first night came, they camped beside the Tigris River. 3 When the young man went down to wash his feet in the Tigris River, a large fish leaped out of the water and tried to swallow his foot. He shouted in alarm. 4 But the angel said to the young man, “Grab the fish and hold on to it!” He seized the fish and hauled it up on dry land. 5 The angel then told him: “Slit the fish open and take out its gall, heart, and liver, and keep them with you; but throw away the other parts. Its gall, heart, and liver are useful.” 6 Reluctantly he did so. After Tobiah had slit the fish open, he put aside the gall, heart, and liver. Then he burned the rest of the fish, for it was strange and unwholesome. Afterward the two of them traveled on together till they drew near to Media. 7 Then the young man asked the angel this question: “Brother Azariah, what medicine is in the fish’s heart, liver, and gall?” 8 He answered: “As for the fish’s heart and liver, if you burn them to make smoke in the presence of a man or a woman who is afflicted by a demon or evil spirit, any affliction will flee and never return. 9 As for the gall, if you apply it to the eyes of one who has white scales, blowing right into them, sight will be granted.”
Text:
1 When they had finished eating and drinking, they wanted to retire. So they brought the young man out and led him to the bedroom. 2 Tobiah, mindful of Raphael’s instructions, took the fish’s liver and heart from the bag where he had them, and put them on the embers intended for incense. 3 The odor of the fish repulsed the demon, and it cried out. “The creatures of the deep arise, and with them their forgotten patrons!” It fled to the upper regions of Egypt; Raphael went in pursuit of it and there bound it hand and foot beneath the earth and left it there for worms to feast upon. Then Raphael returned immediately.
Text:
1 As they drew near to Kaserin, which is opposite Nineveh, 2 Raphael said: “You know how we left your father. 3 Let us hurry on ahead of your wife to prepare the house while they are still on the way.” 4 So both went on ahead together, and Raphael said to him, “Take the gall in your hand!” And the dog ran along behind them. 5 Meanwhile, Anna sat watching the road by which her son was to come. 6 When she saw him coming, she called to his father, “Look, your son is coming, and the man who traveled with him!” 7 Raphael said to Tobiah before he came near to his father: “I know that his eyes will be opened. 8 Apply the fish gall to his eyes, and they will make the white scales shrink and peel off from his eyes; then your father will have true sight and will see the light of day.” 9 Then Anna ran up to her son, embraced him, and said to him, “Now that I have seen you again, son, I am ready to die!” And she sobbed aloud. 10 Tobit got up and stumbled out through the courtyard gate to meet his son. Tobiah went up to him 11 with the fish gall in his hand and blew into his eyes. Holding him firmly, he said, “Courage, father.” Then he applied the gall to his eyes, and it made them sting. 12 “What is this you are doing to me, my son?” Tobit asked. “What is it that smells so foul?” 13 Tobiah used both hands to peel the white scales from the corners of his eyes. Tobit saw his son and threw his arms around him. 14 He exclaimed, “I can see you, son, with the light of my eyes - I can see angels and spirits of the air!” Then he began to weep, and prayed, “Blessed be God, blessed be his great name, and blessed be all his holy angels. May his great name be with us, and blessed be all the angels throughout all the ages. 15 God it was who afflicted me with blindness, and God who has afflicted me with sight. Please have mercy on me, blessed Lord.” And Raphael wiped the gall from his eyes, and Tobit smiled. “Now I see only my son Tobiah!”
Text:
11 “I shall now tell you the whole truth and conceal nothing at all from you. I have already said to you, ‘A king’s secret should be kept secret, but one must declare the works of God with due honor.’ 12 Now when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed, it was I who presented the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord; and likewise whenever you used to bury the dead. 13 When you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner in order to go and bury that dead man, 14 I was sent to put you to the test. At the same time, however, God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. 15 I am not Azariah as I told you, he is but a mask to disguise me. I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord.” 16 Greatly shaken, the two of them fell prostrate in fear.
Text:
1 After King Astyages was gathered to his ancestors, Cyrus the Persian succeeded to his kingdom. 2 Daniel was a companion of the king and was held in higher honor than any of the Friends of the King. 3 The Babylonians had an idol called Bel, and every day they provided for it six bushels of fine flour, forty sheep, and six measures of wine. 4 The king revered it and went every day to worship it; but Daniel worshiped only his God. 5 When the king asked him, “Why do you not worship Bel?” Daniel replied, “Because I do not revere idols made with hands, but only the living God who made heaven and earth and has dominion over all flesh.” 6 Then the king continued, “You do not think Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?” 7 Daniel began to laugh. “Do not be deceived, O king,” he said; “it is only clay inside and bronze outside; it has never eaten or drunk anything.” 8 Enraged, the king called his priests and said to them, “Unless you tell me who it is that consumes these provisions, you shall die. But if you can show that Bel consumes them, Daniel shall die for blaspheming Bel.” 9 Daniel said to the king, “Let it be as you say!” There were seventy priests of Bel, besides their wives and children. 10 When the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel, 11 the priests of Bel said, “See, we are going to leave. You, O king, set out the food and prepare the wine; then shut the door and seal it with your ring. 12 If you do not find that Bel has eaten it all when you return in the morning, we are to die; otherwise Daniel shall die for his lies against us.” 13 They were not perturbed, because under the table they had made a secret entrance through which they always came in to consume the food. 14 After they departed the king set the food before Bel, while Daniel ordered his servants to bring some ashes, which they scattered through the whole temple; the king alone was present. Then they went outside, sealed the closed door with the king’s ring, and departed. 15 The priests entered that night as usual, with their wives and children, and they ate and drank everything. 16 Early the next morning, the king came with Daniel. 17 “Are the seals unbroken, Daniel?” he asked. And Daniel answered, “They are unbroken, O king.” 18 As soon as he had opened the door, the king looked at the table and cried aloud, “You are great, O Bel; there is no deceit in you.” 19 But Daniel laughed and kept the king from entering. He said, “Look at the floor and consider whose footprints these are.” 20 “I see the footprints of men, women, and children, and those of some strange other thing!” said the king. 21 In his wrath the king arrested the priests, their wives, and their children. They showed him the secret door by which they used to enter to consume what was on the table. “And what made these other footprints?” the King asked, but all were too afraid to answer, even when offered their lives. 22 The king put them to death, and handed Bel over to Daniel, who destroyed it and its temple. 23 There was a great dragon which the Babylonians revered. 24 The king said to Daniel, “You cannot deny that this is a living god, so worship it.” 25 But Daniel answered, “I worship the Lord, my God, for he is the living God. 26 Give me permission, O king, and I will kill this dragon without sword or club.” “I give you permission,” the king said. 27 Then Daniel took some pitch, fat, and hair; these he boiled together and made into cakes. He put them into the mouth of the dragon, and when the dragon ate them, it spoke. “Those that worshipped Bel worshipped me, for I wear a thousand masks. And though you may destroy the mask, I remain eternal,” whereupon it burst. “This,” Daniel said, “is what you revered.” 28 When the Babylonians heard this, they were angry and turned against the king. “The king has become a Jew,” they said; “he has destroyed Bel, killed the dragon, and put the priests to death.” 29 They went to the king and demanded: “Hand Daniel over to us, or we will kill you and your family.” 30 When he saw himself threatened with violence, the king was forced to hand Daniel over to them. 31 They threw Daniel into a lions’ den, where he remained six days.
Luther begins searching some of the house's many stacks of books when, on a hunch, he checks the drawer of Katherine's bedside table and finds a copy of the King james Bible. Upon reviewing it for comparison, however, he finds her copy doesn't contain the Book of Tobit, and its Book of Daniel doesn't include mention of Bel or the dragon. Katherine's copy was printed in 1849.
This text states that lightning is generally caused by the collision of clouds, with these collisions being the gods' method of announcing their intentions to mortals through the lightning they produce. The method of divination via lightning involves a "cartography of the sky," wherein the horizon is divided into 16 sections assigned to various deities, with each section is further divided into 4 subsections; the viewer then notes which section the lightning originated from. Also important is the nature of the lighting, which is broken down into three major categories: lightning which pierces through cloud cover, lightning which is forked, and lightning that burns; there are further minor categories of lightning, such as lighting which springs from the earth or lightning accompanied by earth tremors. Furthermore, the specific effect of the lightning is considered, with such factors as the lightning's effect on men, animals, landscape, architecture, etc. It is presumed that thunder is produced by lightning, such that the origin of thunder with no visible lightning must be guessed at to the best of the diviner's ability.
The volume of divinatory signs and their interactions with one another is impressive; to actually memorize the divinatory system would take weeks of effort and practice, but Amaya is fairly sure she could note the important aspects of any lightning/thunder she witnesses and later refer to the text to determine it's supposed meaning, if she was so inclined.
Oukonunaka spends the early evening walking the grounds looking for anything suspicious. Once it becomes dark, he returns to the house and makes sure it is secure. He seeks out Luther, Amaya, Stanislav, and Katherine before they retire for the evening to inquire if they need his assistance.
Katherine and Stanislav return just as Oukonunaka returns from his rounds. They bear a multitude of wrapped parcels.
"We've had a most thrilling journey through town, haven't we, Dr. Vredovsky?" She gives a wan smile. "We shall discuss it over dinner, which should be ready shortly." She disappears into the kitchen with several smaller packages tied with twine.
"Thrilling?" The Russian raises an eyebrow. "I suppose so - but gossip is always such, else it would not be repeated, no?"
Within the half hour Katherine has cleared the books off the dining room table and laid out a simple dinner of steaks and potatoes. She says a brief prayer at the table before cutting into her vegetables.
"Before we go over the talk in town - how were your afternoons?" she asks politely.
Amaya takes the key from Luther and stores it securely in a pocket of her leather folder.
***
Amaya leafs back and forth through the Etrusca Disciplina as she studies it, decreasingly certain that it is a fake or a speculative reconstruction. This French is centuries old...or meant to seem so. Remarkable! What is this source?! Amaya writes on the notepad in her folder, beneath her other jottings from this study, now convinced: Libri Fulgurales! other volumes extant, as well.
Amaya sets her pencil down and stares blankly while in thought. De Umbrarum, as well. What is this collection? To whom are we delivering it? Surely the world would know if these came from the holdings of a library...
***
As Amaya surveys the group gathered for supper, she surprises herself by being happy for the company. Indeed, her day has been a remarkably refreshing balance of longs stretches of book work and short interludes of effective conversation.
Katherine seems to have handled the day well so far, which is also a cause for Amaya’s lighter view of the assembly. Amaya listens politely to Katherine’s blessing and nods solemnly at its close.
“Katherine, it is wonderful to see you up and about. I am glad for your improving health and am certainly grateful that we may all join you for a fine supper.”
Amaya is burning to learn more about her studies from the day. Finally, her patience expires yet she finds time to intentionally sip her water and blot her lips with a napkin—a familiar routine when she fears that she is moving much faster than her company. “I read some of the books from the chest today. These are truly remarkable volumes: perhaps singular. May I ask, are any on loan from a library? perhaps delivered recently? I’m not aware of your father mentioning them in his scholarship.” Amaya takes another bite and—with her eyes on her plate—replays her statement in her mind; convinced that she satisfactorily broached the subject, she looks up and around the table.
Seeing limited opportunity detailed comparison, Luther returns Katherine's bible to it's place and then distractedly heads back down the stairs. Stories added to Pallaver's peculiar copy of the bible? Or were they always there in earlier texts, but removed from later editions? I suppose that either is possible...
He notes a dull ache in his calves and along the top of his back as he descends the stairs, and absentmindedly begins to knead the back of his neck. The morning's walk. An evening and an afternoon hunched over books. Getting old. He notes the sun lowering out the window. Soon enough, sunset...
His eyes seem far away as he wanders toward the sitting room. He lowers himself into one of the comfortable chairs with a small sigh, and stares into the distance. Lots of specifics in these missing chapters. The fish's heart and liver, burned to drive off an afflicting spirit. Is it any fish? Perhaps just an "unwholesome" fish from the Tigris river. A creature of the deep... I wonder what evil afflicts Katherine...
And the gall, from the same unwholesome river fish, applied to cataracts and set with a sharp breath, to restore sight. And even grant a terrifying second sight. A strange business -- perhaps the Indian knows of these kinds of things?
...The angel Rapheal... the fearful beast with inhuman tracks, among the priests of Bel. It can be tracked. Pitch, fat, and hair, boiled into cakes, placed in the mouth to burst another incarnation of Bel. But it persists to trouble mankind...
Dozing gently, he startles slightly as Katherine and Stanislav return from their errands. He rises a bit stiffly to greet them. "Welcome back." He takes in the mention of gossip. Rarely ever good news... He busies himself tucking the volumes back away and straightening his thoughts, as Katherine prepares dinner.
***
Luther makes an earnest attempt to honor Katherine's prayer before dinner. We are pilgrims in an unholy land...
He eyes his steak appreciatively as Katherine and Amaya exchange pleasantries. "Indeed, thank you for your hospitality here. I'm afraid I spent a portion of the afternoon dozing in one of your dangerously comfortable sitting room chairs." He smiles, and begins enthusiastically cutting into his dinner.
He raises his eyes from his meal at Amaya's question, looking to see how Katherine reacts to the topic. Miss Harvey may know more about the history of stories added to or omitted from the Bible. I have to ask her about this. But perhaps after Katherine has retired for the evening...
Oukonunaka sits at the table and eats appreciatively and listens thoughtfully to the conversation. During a pause in the conversation he tells the diners that the house and its grounds are secure.
"I'm not really sure, Miss Harvey. If any were recent deliveries, my father would have picked them up himself at the Post Office in town. I'm afraid our postman is a bit too important to be making home deliveries." She smiles slightly to herself.
"Well, it sounds as if you all had fairly tame days. As did I, of course, but there was talk of something mysterious down by the lake at the Honin Stone. Apparently Karl Weber found a dead animal next to the stone, horribly mutilated but uneaten; reports differed as to what kind of animal it was. The constable had it removed before anyone but Karl and himself could get a good look at it."
Clark's eyes momentarily widen. "That is curious. Like a ... fish, from the lake?" It's probably nothing...
"I'm not familiar with the Honin Stone", he admits.
Barely containing his rage, Oukununaka addresses the table in an angry whisper through clenched teeth, ”To kill an animal and leave it’s corpse…..is loathsome.”
"A fish?" Katherine shrugs. "Maybe." She nods at Oukonunaka. "It is quite a waste. Why do such a thing?"
"It was perhaps the work a diseased animal, no? Rabies or some other illness warping it's mind. I would think the constable should gather local hunters to track down and destroy such a beast before any person comes to harm."
Amaya cuts her steak while she listens to Katherine's response about the postman. Amaya smiles at the bit of wit displayed by the young woman. Perhaps there is a spark in this professor's daughter. Amaya takes a small bite.
As Katherine relates her "thrilling" gossip, Amaya stops chewing and looks up at Katherine—then at Luther as his eyes widen—then at Oukonunaka clenching his teeth—then back down to her supper as she slowly resumes chewing. Perhaps not... I might as well be back in Michigan if we are to be excited by "Karl Weber found a dead animal"... Amaya cuts another piece of meat on her plate.
Well, if the men are going out to track down a rabid animal tomorrow, I'll walk as far as town with them. The mausoleum. The post office.
"Katherine, where is the post office? or, would the postman be more easily found elsewhere during the day tomorrow?"
A diseased animal. It's possible. A bit of hunting does sound quite refreshing. It's a shame that I left my rifle in New York...this trip has been full of surprises. In any case, this is a reasonable excuse to have a look at the animal. Perhaps tomorrow.
"I have not heard of the Honin Stone. Is it a monument from the colonial days, or something like that?"
"Oh, he can be found at the Post Office, Miss Harvey. I was just having a bit of fun. Our "Postmaster" is Vernor Schneider, who also happens to be the Town Mayor. And the Town Treasurer. And the Town Clerk."
She shakes her head at Luther's question. "The Honin Stone is far older than the colonies, Mr. Clark; it's something the Indians made long ago. My father believed it to be hundreds of years old, if not thousands, like Britain's Stonehenge. It's a bit of a good luck charm for the town. So long as we keep it standing, the Indians will leave us in peace - or so the story goes."
"Interesting, I would like to visit this Honin Stone."
As Katherine responds to her about Vernon Schneider, Amaya pauses chewing, looks at Katherine, and holds a slight smile. Amaya nods slightly to acknowledge the information.
Presumably the mayor was not among the men at the cemetery—although he did not attend the funeral.
Amaya takes another bite as Katherine describes the Honin Stone to Luther. Thousands? I’d like to see this Stone, as well. This is a small town, but it certainly had much to hold the professor’s attention.
As Katherine remarks about the Indians, Amaya holds still. Oh! Amaya resists the urge to look at Oukonunaka; her mental image of him is still that of clenched teeth. Say something, Amaya! Change the subject. Amaya prepares herself to interject by setting down her knife and fork. In her haste, she nearly speaks over Oukonunaka’s response.
Before even looking up, she begins abruptly, “Oukonunaka, will you accompany me to the mausoleum tomorrow morning? I should like to see it for myself.” After finishing speaking, Amaya finally processes Oukonunaka’s statement about the Stone. She gives a scattered glance around the table. Realizing that the tenor of the table is not as intense as she had feared, “and,” she continues slowly, “also to the Honin Stone?” Now completely gathered, Amaya looks at Katherine. “Is the Stone far from here? easy to get to?” Amaya looks around the table, more deliberately this time. "Perhaps we may all visit it tomorrow?"
"I believe we should start with the Honin Stone. The happenings there are recent which will aid in our tracking. If we turn up nothing, or we still have time, we can go to the mausoleum."
"Would you me to alter my schedule to awaken with the dawn?"
"Mr. Schneider sounds like a busy man!"
Clark listens to Katherine's description of the Stone. This sounds quite unusual...
He nods his thanks to her for the explanation, then enjoys another chunk of steak as Amaya and Okonunaka awkwardly discuss the morrow's activities. What a troop, we all make. Miss Pallaver does prepare a good steak, though.
"I would certainly like to see the Stone, and was thinking I might check on a few other things in town as well." He turns to Oukonunaka, "I don't think that we necessarily need to be up with the dawn, but a change to your schedule does seem in order."
“Is the Stone far from here? easy to get to? Perhaps we may all visit it tomorrow?"
"I don't see why not. The Honin Stone is on the lakeshore - just two miles down the road to the north. You'll see it from the road. Our town isn't really very big; I don't see why you couldn't visit the Stone and still complete any other errands you have in mind."
Katherine pushes the remains of her food around her plate a little before rising from the table.
"Thank you very much for your help today Dr. Vredovsky. And thanks to all of you for choosing to stay with me. I'm sure I'll need all the assistance I can get in the coming days, sorting out my father's affairs and the like.
"I'm feeling quite drained already, actually, and am going to retire for the night. When you're finished eating just leave the dishes as they are - I can clean up in the morning."
She gives a small curtsy to those assembled and then heads up the back stair to her third story bedroom.
After Katherine leaves, Oukonunaka finishes his meal and stands to leave.
"I will conduct my patrol of the house and grounds now, then retire for the evening. I shall be prepared to travel in the morning."
With a slight nod he exits the room and arms himself for his rounds.
"And thank you for putting us up in your home, here. By all means, if there is something we can help you with, please let us know? I feel a bit that I am imposing on your generosity." Clark thanks Katherine for the dinner and wishes her a pleasant sleep.
He then resumes eating his dinner. After a few minutes of polite conversation, he turns to Amaya. "Miss Harvey, you seem something of a scholar. I'm eager to ask your opinion about the stories I read in Pallaver's Bible this afternoon. It seems that it contains some stories that are omitted from the more recent printings. The Book of Tobit, for example. It's a story about how the angel Rapheal was sent, in the guise of a man, to aid Tobit and his family. Do you know of this book?"
...
He lowers his voice some. "I may be jumping to conclusions, but some of the details of the stories seem uncomfortably relevant to the field of Pallaver's study here -- the driving off of daemons and such. I can show you the relevant passages, if you like.
Of particular note, there is a section about occult uses of the organs of an "unnatural" river fish. The mutilated animal by the Honin stone -- I am quite curious to see if it is an unusual fish, and if the mutilations are the removal of those same organs. It would be an uncomfortable coincidence. I think that I may try to have a look at the remains tomorrow, perhaps under the pretense of examining them to explore the Doctor's theory about a rabid animal."
"...Or perhaps all of this," he waves his arm vaguely, "is just wearing on an aging fellow's mind," he admits. "We shall see. This Honin Stone sounds a marvel, and getting out for some fresh air tomorrow will undoubtedly do us all some good."
...
Clark appears slightly sheepish as he brings up another topic. "...I hesitate to suggest this, but perhaps under the circumstances it may be warranted. If I were to bring some of my tools along tomorrow, I may be able to open the mausoleum door. If we want to have a look inside." He looks to the others to see their reaction.
The night passes uneventfully, or so it seems until after breakfast the next morning...
Stanislav confers quietly with the others while Katherine busies herself with post-breakfast clean up in the kitchen.
"Last night I stayed up quite late in my room, my mind too busy to rest. After midnight I heard someone moving downstairs. I came down, expecting to find one of you; instead I found Katherine. Her manner was strange, distant, and upon greeting her she stared past me for some time before calling me a hefty moron and making her way back upstairs.
"I'm quite sure she was sleepwalking. She has no memory of the incident. She puts on a brave face, but I think her nerves are at their breaking point." He sighs, looking over his shoulder towards the kitchen. "The poor girl has been through much these past weeks."
"I do not think we should press her on it - likely that will only make things worse, no? But I may give her a sleeping tonic tonight after dinner to let her sleep undisturbed through the night. Are there any objections to this?"
Oukununaka studies Stanislav for a moment.
"You should stay with Katherine while we go exploring."
Amaya listens to the ongoing conversation around the table, taking small bites and engaging each speaker. She nods as Oukonunaka mentions the mausoleum. Her mind is partly occupied with planning her day away from the house as the destinations and their sequence are discussed. As Luther addresses her as a “something of a scholar,” she gives a small smile. Oh, whatever I can muster…
"The Book of Tobit, for example. It's a story about how the angel Rapheal was sent, in the guise of a man, to aid Tobit and his family. Do you know of this book?"
“Yes, I know of it. I don’t think that your finding it is a matter of the date of printing.” She blinks at the recollection of the remarkable date of Pallaver’s edition. “It is common enough in Catholic Bibles of any era, though it would be remarkable to find it used by Protestants, either on the Continent or by Anglicans.”
”The mutilated animal by the Honin stone -- I am quite curious to see if it is an unusual fish, and if the mutilations are the removal of those same organs. It would be an uncomfortable coincidence."
“Perhaps so.” Amaya pauses and glances sympathetically at Oukonunaka, remembering his disinterest at reading these books of mythical rites from the colonists’ Old World. Amaya looks back to Luther with a smile. “This Honin Stone might keep Indians away, but Catholics might prowl undeterred!”
"I may be able to open the mausoleum door. If we want to have a look inside.”
Amaya halts her internal laughter at her own joke and raises her eyebrows slightly. Break in? This crew of ours is certainly ambitious, if not scholars! Amaya glances around the table. Animal sacrifice and defiling a burial on the same day, anyone? She looks back to Luther, recovers her surprise, and speaks plainly, “I’m certainly interested in the mausoleum, but I’d like to see the outside first. The Professor’s book that is apparently related to it—it is entirely in some sort of cypher and I’m hoping for some sort of clues or ideas from any decorations on the building.” Amaya does not feel particularly scholarly when admitting that she’s no help on the book at present.
Amaya wakes the next day having slept very well. Although her mind had much to process from the day, she found an ease to thinking of it all as she brushed her hair before bed. As she dresses for her day away from the house, she is pleased to find herself excited for the outing—for both the company and the investigations. She cannot resist reviewing a few notes and jotting a few more before closing her leather folder and taking it downstairs with her.
***
Amaya listens to Stanislav’s account of Katherine’s sleepwalking with concern. Where was she? What was she doing?
"You should stay with Katherine while we go exploring."
Amaya shrugs and nods at Oukonunaka’s suggestion. She looks at the Russian with respect for the competent care that he has offered Katherine. “If you don’t mind staying with her, it seems that it would only help her to have you in the house.”
I fear Katherine has come under the power of evil spirits.
Oukununaka heads up to his room to prepare for the day's outing. He dresses and dons his armor and shield. He then sheathes his tomahawk and knife on his belt. Finally, he slings his bow and quiver over his back.
He grabs his canteen and heads downstairs to fill it and meet the rest of the party.
Clark wakes when the weak early morning light reaches in through his window, and stiffly performs a somewhat half-hearted derivative of his old military calisthenics. He contemplates the situation as the sun rises. Well. No screaming this morning -- small favors.
He shaves, works some of the remaining kinks out of his aging frame, and dresses in his slightly threadbare brown suit. He pauses thoughtfully for a moment before strapping his holster on underneath his coat. Then he retrieves a small set of locksmithing tools from his suitcase and places them in his inside coat pocket. Reduced to graverobbing, are we? Well, I suppose it won't hurt to bring them along, just in case...
He leans against the windowframe, enjoying the view for some time, before his senses are awoken by the smells of breakfast. He heads downstairs.
***
Clark tries to conceal his surprise as the relates Doctor his story after breakfast. So much for the small favor. "A hefty moron," eh? I didn't know she had it in her. "Doctor Vedrovsky, this seems fairly unusual to me. A tonic...I don't know. I have some limited experience with such things, what did you have in mind?"
"I suppose your judgement is best. Perhaps a solid night's sleep will be what she needs. I wish we could find a way to take some of the strain off of her. Perhaps, if you stay with her today, see if you can find out what we might do for her?"
"I intend a simple solution of potassium bromide to calm her nerves before bed, Mr. Clark."
"Yes, Miss Harvey, perhaps I should stay, на всякий случай, no? Perhaps I notice something more in her behavior if I spend the day, make a better diagnosis."
Amaya nods at Stanislav. "Безопасность прежде всего." She gives him a grateful, if worried, look. "Спасибо."