La Licorne by Christopher C Tubbs

Author:Christopher C Tubbs [Tubbs, Christopher C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-05-15T04:00:00+00:00

The next morning, he got directions to the plaza de San Nicolas and after a breakfast of churros and coffee, he set off at a stroll. The weather was beautiful this early in the summer, the scent of wisteria heavy in the air. To the casual observer, he looked like any other Spanish gentleman and sauntered along, looking in the occasional shop and chatting to the shopkeepers.

What he was actually doing was checking his back trail for anybody following him and making it look as if he was wandering for the pleasure of it. He spotted a seedy looking individual who was tailing him about thirty meters behind. He wasn’t very good at it and jumped behind walls and pillars whenever Marty obviously looked in his direction.

He finally arrived at the church and made a show of admiring the baroque façade and its strange octagonal tower. He entered through the central door and found himself in an octagonal interior, which was surprisingly plain. He approached the dark wood alter with its large ornate wooden screen above it. In the centre was a golden statue of the Virgin Mary haloed by a golden sun, dressed in an ornate white skirt or robe with golden embroidery, set in a blue arch.

He knelt, crossed himself, and muttered an appropriate phrase. He maintained that pose until a priest dressed in the robe of a Franciscan appeared and asked,

“Do you want to be confessed, my son?”

“Thank you, Father, but I already confessed this week and I haven’t built up enough sin to warrant another one.” He smiled at the old man, who smiled back and replied,

“Too much confession takes all the fun out of life. We must all keep a balance.”

“You have an unusual church here, but it is quite beautiful,” Marty flattered him. It worked the old man preened up a bit and looked proudly around his domain.

“Yes, it is unique to the Basque country and represents our independent nature.”

“I am sorry, Father, I should introduce myself. I am Martin del Carpio, traveller and lover of art.”

“I am Father Pedro. You are interested in art?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Come, I can show you something rather interesting.”

He led Marty to an anteroom and to a small wooden cabinet mounted on a wall. He opened it and inside was a beautifully painted Icon depicting St Christopher carrying Jesus across a river.

Marty truly appreciated the piece as a work of art and made all the right noises.

“This is quite a church for one man to care for,” Marty enthused.

“Oh, I am not the only one here. I have my novice father Cristobel to assist me and the good mothers of the parish who clean and cook for us,” Father Pedro replied modestly.

“Even so, it is an admirable feat. Especially if no other priests come in to assist and give you some time off,” Marty continued.

“We have been on our own for ten years now and have no need of holidays. The service is a reward in itself,” the old man replied piously.

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