The Hour Before Dawn by Penelope Wilcock

Author:Penelope Wilcock
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lion Hudson
Published: 2015-06-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

“I found him in an alley near the market; it was just beside a bakehouse. I remember because I went to get us some bread. I was almost out of money, but I thought we could share a loaf.”

The two men picked their way along the crowded streets of the busy town, John retracing his steps with increasing confidence. Having run back and forth to provide food and water for the destitute man on the first time of visiting the place, he remembered the location of St Mary’s Gate and the alleyway beside the baker’s shop without too much trouble.

“There he is! In the exact same place where I left him! That’s too good to be true! Look, William, we’ve found him!”

The man he had seen had a considerable beard and his tonsure had a covering of dark hair by now, but John recognized him from across the street, even still wearing the same habit he had seen him in before. His face was turned toward them, but he gave no sign of recognition.

Then in the next moment John’s exultation withered into shrivelling horror as, crossing the street together, William said quietly, “Look again. It seems to me that someone else has found him first.”

As they traversed the thoroughfare and came to the mouth of the alley, hearing passing feet pause before him, the crouching beggar became very still and attentive—and wary. Standing in front of him, William and John found the impression formed as they crossed the road confirmed. They were looking down on the swollen, damaged eye sockets of a blinded man.

“Father Oswald,” said William, “it’s me.”

The man was galvanized into response by these words. He did not say anything, which seemed odd to John, nor did he smile; but he reached out filthy hands in sleeves thick with blood and dirt and stuck food scraps and turned his face eagerly toward William’s voice.

John glanced at William, taken aback that he did not come down to his brother’s level, did not touch him or take his hand to make connection with the poor man in his blindness. He saw that William was looking very closely at the mutilated man, frowning as he scrutinized his face. Oswald’s lips were swollen and crusty, and blood had dried in clots and rivulets into his beard. Sores had been created at the corners of his mouth by a constant trickle of saliva that Oswald periodically raised his hand to wipe away.

Slowly William squatted down in front of him. “Speak to me,” he said softly. And then John understood.

Oswald spoke, but he produced no human speech—only a guttural moaning that formed no words.

“Oh holy Jesus! Oh sweet mother of God! What have they done to him?” gasped John as he bent over the man. Oswald reacted sharply to his voice, which he clearly recognized at once. He had not forgotten John. He reached out his hands toward them, groping to make contact.

“Put out his eyes and cut out his tongue, as I think you can see,” said William.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.