The Devil in a Forest by Gene Wolfe

Author:Gene Wolfe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: A Tom Doherty Associates Book

12

MARK WOKE WITH the sun in his face. It was the first time in a long while, since the morning of the day Cope had found the peddler’s body in fact, that he had felt warm on awakening; for drowsy seconds he reveled in it before a slight motion sent pain flashing through his side. He winced, then opened his eyes to see the familiar pink-tinted face of Josellen bending over him. Framed by her swinging auburn curls, it seemed marvelous and unbelievable, like some sign of good fortune in the sky. From above the top of his head a voice asked, “Is he awake?” and Josellen said, “Yes,” and smiled. Mark tried to turn his head enough to see the speaker.

The lean intelligent face of the abbé came into view. “Don’t try to sit up,” the abbé said. He laid a hand gently on Mark’s chest, and Mark became aware that he was swaddled in several blankets, though he lay upon the ground.

He said, “All right, Abbé,” and found his voice sounded odd and far-off to his own ears.

Josellen’s head reappeared, this time beside the abbé’s. “Sue’s making herb tea for him, or trying to. Hot stones in the bucket.”

The abbé shrugged as though to say “it won’t do any harm and may make her feel better.” Mark smiled, then rolled onto his left side and sat up.

Gloin and Philip were coming toward him, Gloin with an expression of mingled worry and relief. A small fire, the one he had seen the previous night, he decided, was burning a yard from his feet. Across it Old Sue and Philip’s wife were fussing with utensils.

Gloin said, “Mark, lad, I’m glad to see you awake. I thought last night you’d die at the false dawn; we all did. Who cut you—Wat?”

“Yes, tell us,” the abbé said. “We’re all eager to know what happened to you, if you feel up to talking.”

“There’s not much to tell, really.” Sitting up had made Mark dizzy, and he waited a moment to recover. “When the soldiers came, Wat and the charcoal burner left and went up the Mountain, taking me with them. I suppose Gloin and Philip have already told you about that.” He paused, hoping someone else would speak and give him time to collect his thoughts. Not knowing what had transpired in the village after he had gone made him fearful of saying too much. “We stayed that night on the sheep-lands. Then last night Wat tried to kill me, but I got away from him and ran off. What are all of you doing out here?”

“Hiding,” Philip said somberly. “The abbé will tell you about it.”

Mark wondered whether or not the cobbler had discovered the theft of his savings. When he had been debating with himself whether or not he should leave Wat, he had planned to put himself in Philip’s favor by showing him where Wat had secreted the coffer; he felt certain he could locate the spot again, and Wat had not had enough time to conceal it very securely.

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