Read The Warlock Heretical for Free Online Page A
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
that is infallible, not the Pope," Brother Alfonso insisted. "Yet did Christ give the Keys to
a council? Nay!"
"There are answers to that question," the Abbot muttered.
"Aye, I have heard them—and the best of them is that a Pope hath, now and then, spoken ex cathedra to
contradict his own council! Why therefore were they called?"
Page 32
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"Why, so that he might have the benefit of all good arguments, and could consider most carefully ere he spoke."
"Aye! And doth that answer satisfy thee?"
"What matters that?" the Abbot muttered. "Only that I am obliged to keep seeking."
"And wilt never find," Brother Alfonso said with vindictive satisfaction. "Yet there is some present question of
action that must needs be considered."
"Must it?" The Abbott turned to him, frowning. "Wherefore?"
"Why, for that the King doth ever seek to gather more power unto himself, and will end by attempting to govern
the Church!"
" 'Tis not he, but the Queen," the Abbot growled.
"Then he's but her dupe! Behold her actions—once before she hath claimed the power to appoint parish priests!"
"She did relinquish that," the Abbot reminded.
"Aye, yet when shall she take it up again? When the King hath garrisons in every town, and not even the greatest
lord durst gainsay him, for fear of his armies? Oh, nay, my lord! If ever thou wilt bridle this proud and arrogant
prince, 'tis now, whilst his power's still a-borning!"
The Abbot was silent, gazing out the window at his pastures.
"The Pope cannot know of that," Brother Alfonso reminded him, "nor comprehend the fullness of its import."
Slowly, the Abbot nodded. "Thou hast the right of it. I did well, to declare as I have." Behind his back Brother
Alfonso breathed a sigh of relief.
"Not that I'm against the kid becoming a priest, if that's what's going to make him happiest." Rod lifted his head
to let the wind stream over his face. After a few minutes he realized Fess hadn't responded; the only sound had
been the triplets of the great horse's hoofbeats. "You don't believe me. ..." Page 33
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Do you, Rod?"
"All right, hang it! So I don't want the kid to become a priest! But if that's the natural extension of his identity, he
has to do it!"
"But you do not believe it is his calling," Fess interpreted. "No, blast it, I don't! I think he's being subtly indoctrinated by the priests and their continual emphasis on the priesthood as the holiest vocation!"
"Assuredly they would think so, since it is theirs." "Yeah, but they have no right to go imposing their own views
on the rest of us." Rod scowled. "Though that's just what they'll do if the Church of Gramarye really does start
thinking itself supreme."
"How else could they? In medieval society the clergy constituted the First Estate."
"The most important and the best." Rod's mouth twisted
with bitterness. "It's too bad the Pope can't know about this."
"Why can he not, Rod?" Fess's voice was behind Rod's ear; he didn't need to transmit at human thought frequencies,
thanks to the earphone implanted in Rod's mastoid process.
Rod nodded slowly. "I suppose we could send a message.
No reason to think your transmitter isn't still working, is
there?"
"None at all. I am still sending your monthly reports." Rod's jaw dropped. "But I haven't written any for a year
now!"
"I assumed you would want me to accept responsibility for certain routine tasks. ..."
"Of course." Rod closed his jaw. "Yes, quite right. But next time let me know, will you?" "Certainly, Rod."
"After all, it is a courtesy. By the way, what have I been reporting?" Page 34
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Only the major royal actions, and indications of public reaction. There has been no warning of restlessness
among the clergy."
"Probably because there hasn't been
a council? Nay!"
"There are answers to that question," the Abbot muttered.
"Aye, I have heard them—and the best of them is that a Pope hath, now and then, spoken ex cathedra to
contradict his own council! Why therefore were they called?"
Page 32
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Why, so that he might have the benefit of all good arguments, and could consider most carefully ere he spoke."
"Aye! And doth that answer satisfy thee?"
"What matters that?" the Abbot muttered. "Only that I am obliged to keep seeking."
"And wilt never find," Brother Alfonso said with vindictive satisfaction. "Yet there is some present question of
action that must needs be considered."
"Must it?" The Abbott turned to him, frowning. "Wherefore?"
"Why, for that the King doth ever seek to gather more power unto himself, and will end by attempting to govern
the Church!"
" 'Tis not he, but the Queen," the Abbot growled.
"Then he's but her dupe! Behold her actions—once before she hath claimed the power to appoint parish priests!"
"She did relinquish that," the Abbot reminded.
"Aye, yet when shall she take it up again? When the King hath garrisons in every town, and not even the greatest
lord durst gainsay him, for fear of his armies? Oh, nay, my lord! If ever thou wilt bridle this proud and arrogant
prince, 'tis now, whilst his power's still a-borning!"
The Abbot was silent, gazing out the window at his pastures.
"The Pope cannot know of that," Brother Alfonso reminded him, "nor comprehend the fullness of its import."
Slowly, the Abbot nodded. "Thou hast the right of it. I did well, to declare as I have." Behind his back Brother
Alfonso breathed a sigh of relief.
"Not that I'm against the kid becoming a priest, if that's what's going to make him happiest." Rod lifted his head
to let the wind stream over his face. After a few minutes he realized Fess hadn't responded; the only sound had
been the triplets of the great horse's hoofbeats. "You don't believe me. ..." Page 33
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Do you, Rod?"
"All right, hang it! So I don't want the kid to become a priest! But if that's the natural extension of his identity, he
has to do it!"
"But you do not believe it is his calling," Fess interpreted. "No, blast it, I don't! I think he's being subtly indoctrinated by the priests and their continual emphasis on the priesthood as the holiest vocation!"
"Assuredly they would think so, since it is theirs." "Yeah, but they have no right to go imposing their own views
on the rest of us." Rod scowled. "Though that's just what they'll do if the Church of Gramarye really does start
thinking itself supreme."
"How else could they? In medieval society the clergy constituted the First Estate."
"The most important and the best." Rod's mouth twisted
with bitterness. "It's too bad the Pope can't know about this."
"Why can he not, Rod?" Fess's voice was behind Rod's ear; he didn't need to transmit at human thought frequencies,
thanks to the earphone implanted in Rod's mastoid process.
Rod nodded slowly. "I suppose we could send a message.
No reason to think your transmitter isn't still working, is
there?"
"None at all. I am still sending your monthly reports." Rod's jaw dropped. "But I haven't written any for a year
now!"
"I assumed you would want me to accept responsibility for certain routine tasks. ..."
"Of course." Rod closed his jaw. "Yes, quite right. But next time let me know, will you?" "Certainly, Rod."
"After all, it is a courtesy. By the way, what have I been reporting?" Page 34
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Only the major royal actions, and indications of public reaction. There has been no warning of restlessness
among the clergy."
"Probably because there hasn't been
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