1961-A Canticle For Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller

Author:Walter M. Miller [Miller, Walter M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Fantasy, Fiction, Fantasy, American, General, Classics, Fantasy - General, Walter M. - Prose & Criticism, Miller, General & Literary Fiction, Modern fiction
ISBN: 9780553379266
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: 2010-01-22T07:43:41+00:00

* * * * *

Cadderly wandered the hallways of the building, stunned by the emptiness, the brooding quiet. Many priests, both visitors and those of the host sects, such as Brother Chaunticleer, had left the library without explanation, and many of those who had remained apparently preferred the solitude of their rooms.

Cadderly did find Ivan and Pikel, in the kitchen, busily cooking a variety of dishes.

“Your fights have ended?” Cadderly asked, grabbing a biscuit as he entered. He realized then that he hadn’t eaten much in nearly a day, and that Danica and Newander no doubt would be hungry also.

“Fights?” Ivan balked. “No time for fighting, boy! Been cooking since the eve. Not a many for supper, but them that’s there won’t go away.”

A terrible, sick feeling washed over Cadderly. He moved through the kitchen to peek out the other door, which led to the library’s large dining hall. A score of people were in there, Headmaster Avery among them, stuffing themselves hand over hand. Several had fallen to the floor, so full that they could hardly move, but still trying to shove more food into their eager mouths.

“You are killing them, you know,” Cadderly remarked to the dwarves, his tone resigned. The young scholar was beginning to get an idea of what was going on. He thought of Histra and her unending passion, of Danica’s sudden obsession with lessons that were beyond her level of achievement, and of the druids, Arcite and Cleo, so fanatic to their tenets that they had lost their very identities.

“They will eat as long as you put food before them,” Cadderly explained. “They will gorge themselves until they die.”

Both Ivan and Pikel stopped their stirring and stared long and hard at the young priest.

“Slow the meals down,” Cadderly instructed them.

For the first time in a while, Cadderly noted some measure of comprehension. Both dwarves seemed almost repulsed by their own participation in the food orgy. Together they backed away from their respective pots.

“Slow the meals down,” Cadderly asked again.

Ivan nodded gravely.

“Oo,” added Pikel.

Cadderly studied the brothers for a long moment, sensing that they had regained their sanity, that he could trust them as he had trusted Newander.

“I will be back as soon as I can,” he promised, then he took a couple of plates, packed a meal, and took his leave.

Anyone watching would have noticed a profound difference in the strides of the young scholar as he left the kitchen. Cadderly had come down tentatively, afraid of something he could not understand. He still had not figured out the curse or its cause, nor could he remember his trials in the lower catacombs, but, more and more, it was becoming evident to Cadderly that fate had placed a great burden upon him, and the price of his success or failure was terrifying indeed.

To his relief, Newander had the situation in Danica’s room under control. Danica was still in her bed, conscious but unable to move, for the druid had compelled long vines of ivy to come in through the window and wrap the woman where she lay.

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