The House of Trembling Leaves by Julian Lees

Author:Julian Lees [Lees, Julian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sandstone Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

They lifted the injured airman into a yak-hide blanket and carried him back to the nunnery.

They laid him flat on the courtyard floor, under the shadows of an overhanging eave. One of the novices knelt by his side and placed a cooling jasmine cloth to his forehead. Sum Sum lifted a bowl to his mouth. The taste of the warm butter tea appeared to soothe him. Carefully, they removed his flying jacket and undid the front of his shirt to ease his breathing.

Everyone gathered round to get a look.

The whispering ceased as soon as the abbess emerged from her rooms. Like sparrows stilled by the shadow of a hawk, everyone grew quiet.

Looking harassed, Jampa bowed her head and spoke first. ‘‘He came through the clouds on an iron bird, over the great mountains.’’

The abbess stood back and examined the airman critically from a distance as she would a yak whose milk had grown sour. ‘‘We have very strict rules. Men are not allowed.’’

‘‘We understand that, your reverence,’’ said Jampa between tightened lips. ‘‘However, the stranger’s wounds seem grave.’’

‘‘You must take him to the monastery. The High Abbott will decide how to treat him. Only he has the ripeness and wisdom for such things.’’

‘‘But if we move him he will die,’’ Sum Sum challenged. ‘‘We can save him if he stays here. The monastery is several miles away.’’

Jampa click-clacked her tongue, anxious to diffuse the tension in the air.

Radiating disapproval, the abbess locked eyes with Sum Sum. ‘‘We know nothing of his kind. Look at him; he has ink pictures on his chest. These white men are men of war, they are as hard as their far-flung accents. We must leave this to the High Abbott. And you, Sengemo, must learn to hold your tongue. You are in a nunnery now. You cannot say something simply because you want to. Continue showing dissent and you will find yourself struggling to remain here.’’

Sum Sum nodded gravely back at her but did not lower her eyes submissively. She felt no regret about speaking out. Affronted, the abbess shook out her robes and retreated to her rooms, vanishing through a little doorway.

Sum Sum fixed her thoughts on the abbess’s words. The phrase ‘struggling to remain here’ took on new meaning. She gave a puff of exhaustion and felt a flutter of emotions – defiance, pride, anger and dread. It was the dread of being alone once more. But right now she didn’t care what the abbess thought. She’d done a good thing. She’d helped save a man’s life. And if they didn’t appreciate her then she would leave.

Sum Sum marched off towards her dormitory. The whispering began again as soon as she was out of sight.

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