Read The Warlock Heretical for Free Online Page B
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
any—just in the Abbot," Rod mused. "And without the support of his priests,
he might decide not to push the issue to crisis. No, I don't think we'll send a special, Fess. Certainly not to the
Vatican, not quite yet."
"As you will, Rod," Fess sighed.
Rod noted the tone of martyred patience. "You think the problem is bigger than it looks?"
"It could become so. In a medieval society, the quickest route to a totalitarian government is through the Church."
"I know what you mean." Rod frowned. "The parish priests already have pretty thorough control over every
aspect of the congregations' lives, simply by telling them what is and is not a sin."
"But they are limited in that by the Church's official positions."
"Not if they haven't heard about them, and our boys have been a little out of touch for the last half millennium or
so. Besides, just because a priest finds out what Rome teaches, doesn't necessarily mean he'll agree with it."
"Surely a parish priest would not preach that fornication is virtuous, even though Rome teaches that it is sinful!"
Rod noted Fess's tone again. "You aren't really as scandalized as you sound, are you?"
"You still have difficulty discerning sarcasm," the robot replied. Rod nodded, satisfied. "Thought so. And no, I think the tonsured tribe are all pretty much agreed about fornication. But say, oh—that whole business about evolution. The Church finally accepted the idea in 2237,
when the anthropologists discovered the skeleton of Homo Fidelis." Page 35
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Yes, I recall the announcement." Fess had been almost brand-new at the time. "There was a great deal of
controversy, but both theologians and anthropologists finally acknowledged that the statuette with Fidelis was a
religious icon."
"Yeah, that's how you taught it to me when I was ten. But even now, three hundred years later, I've met priests
who are still preaching that it's a sin to believe Darwin's theory."
"Humanity naturally resists change," Fess sighed. "I sometimes think your species should be named Homo Habit ualis."
"Man of habit, eh?" Rod smiled. "Not referring to monks' robes, I suppose."
"I did not exclude them. Nor would the Church, if it gained worldly authority. In fact, it might make Church garb
obligatory."
"No, it would want to be able to tell the clergy from the laity on sight, to make sure the priests got instant privilege wherever
they went. But they probably would issue a dress code for ordinary citizens, and make it a crime to wear anything else."
"That in itself could be resisted, Rod. But the Church would probably make the violation of the dress code a sin,
and that would induce greater obedience from the citizens."
Rod shuddered. "You've got a point there. Never underestimate the power of guilt."
"Oh, I do not," Fess said softly. "I assure you, I do not."
"Father Matthew! They come!"
Father Boquilva looked up from his daubing, every muscle instantly tense, but his tone was mild as he called
back to the sentry on the watchtower, "Sound the alarm, Brother Fennel. Is it bandits again?" Page 36
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Nay, Father, 'tis our fellows of the order. Yet I see the glint of steel where their tonsures should be." Father Boquilva stiffened. "So? Well, we have steel caps, | too. Sound the alarm, but be mindful, they are of our
order."
The whistle shrilled high above, and all over the meadow s monks froze, eyes turned to the tower.
• Father Boquilva turned to the monk beside him with a smile. "Brother Jeremy, I believe Father Arnold and
Brother Otho have the day's cooking in hand. Would you inquire if they can
'"serve in an hour or so? We have guests."
• The visitors turned into the lane between rows of turned earth with grim faces, gripping their staves tightly as
they eyed
• the band drawn up before them. Sure enough, the renegades 'charged,
he might decide not to push the issue to crisis. No, I don't think we'll send a special, Fess. Certainly not to the
Vatican, not quite yet."
"As you will, Rod," Fess sighed.
Rod noted the tone of martyred patience. "You think the problem is bigger than it looks?"
"It could become so. In a medieval society, the quickest route to a totalitarian government is through the Church."
"I know what you mean." Rod frowned. "The parish priests already have pretty thorough control over every
aspect of the congregations' lives, simply by telling them what is and is not a sin."
"But they are limited in that by the Church's official positions."
"Not if they haven't heard about them, and our boys have been a little out of touch for the last half millennium or
so. Besides, just because a priest finds out what Rome teaches, doesn't necessarily mean he'll agree with it."
"Surely a parish priest would not preach that fornication is virtuous, even though Rome teaches that it is sinful!"
Rod noted Fess's tone again. "You aren't really as scandalized as you sound, are you?"
"You still have difficulty discerning sarcasm," the robot replied. Rod nodded, satisfied. "Thought so. And no, I think the tonsured tribe are all pretty much agreed about fornication. But say, oh—that whole business about evolution. The Church finally accepted the idea in 2237,
when the anthropologists discovered the skeleton of Homo Fidelis." Page 35
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Yes, I recall the announcement." Fess had been almost brand-new at the time. "There was a great deal of
controversy, but both theologians and anthropologists finally acknowledged that the statuette with Fidelis was a
religious icon."
"Yeah, that's how you taught it to me when I was ten. But even now, three hundred years later, I've met priests
who are still preaching that it's a sin to believe Darwin's theory."
"Humanity naturally resists change," Fess sighed. "I sometimes think your species should be named Homo Habit ualis."
"Man of habit, eh?" Rod smiled. "Not referring to monks' robes, I suppose."
"I did not exclude them. Nor would the Church, if it gained worldly authority. In fact, it might make Church garb
obligatory."
"No, it would want to be able to tell the clergy from the laity on sight, to make sure the priests got instant privilege wherever
they went. But they probably would issue a dress code for ordinary citizens, and make it a crime to wear anything else."
"That in itself could be resisted, Rod. But the Church would probably make the violation of the dress code a sin,
and that would induce greater obedience from the citizens."
Rod shuddered. "You've got a point there. Never underestimate the power of guilt."
"Oh, I do not," Fess said softly. "I assure you, I do not."
"Father Matthew! They come!"
Father Boquilva looked up from his daubing, every muscle instantly tense, but his tone was mild as he called
back to the sentry on the watchtower, "Sound the alarm, Brother Fennel. Is it bandits again?" Page 36
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Nay, Father, 'tis our fellows of the order. Yet I see the glint of steel where their tonsures should be." Father Boquilva stiffened. "So? Well, we have steel caps, | too. Sound the alarm, but be mindful, they are of our
order."
The whistle shrilled high above, and all over the meadow s monks froze, eyes turned to the tower.
• Father Boquilva turned to the monk beside him with a smile. "Brother Jeremy, I believe Father Arnold and
Brother Otho have the day's cooking in hand. Would you inquire if they can
'"serve in an hour or so? We have guests."
• The visitors turned into the lane between rows of turned earth with grim faces, gripping their staves tightly as
they eyed
• the band drawn up before them. Sure enough, the renegades 'charged,
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