I think you do. Vexille retorted. It was brought here before the fall of Montsegur, brought here to keep it safe. But then the French crusaders came to Astarac and the Grail was taken away again.
Planchard smiled. This all happened before I was born. How would I know of it?'
Seven men took the grail away. Vexille said.
The seven dark lords. Planchard said, smiling. I have heard that story.'
Two of them were Vexilles. Guy Vexille said, and four of them were knights who had fought for the Cathars.'
Seven men fleeing the forces of France and the Church's crusaders. Planchard said musingly, into a Christendom that hated them. I doubt they survived.
And the seventh man. Vexille ignored the abbot's words, was the Lord of Mouthoumet.
Which was always an insignificant fief. Planchard said dismissively,' scarce able to support two knights from its mountain
pastures.'
The Lord of Mouthoumet. Vexille went on, was a heretic.' He turned suddenly for a noise had come from deep in the ossuary. It had sounded something like a stifled sneeze and was followed by a rattle of bones. He lifted the lantern and walked back to where the arches had been desecrated.
There are rats here. Planchard said. The abbey's drains cross the end of the vault and we believe some of the brickwork has collapsed. You often hear strange noises down here. Some of the more superstitious brethren believe they are made by ghosts.“ Vexille was standing among the bones, the lantern held high, listening. He heard nothing more and so turned back to the abbot. The Lord of Mouthoumet,” he said, was one of the seven. And his name was Planchard.' Vexille paused. My lord. he added mockingly.
Planchard smiled. He was my grandfather. He did not ride with the others, but went to Youlouse and threw himself on the mercy of the Church. He was lucky, I think, not to be burned, but he was reconciled with the true faith even though it cost him his fief, his title and what passed for his fortune. He died in a monastery. The tale was told in our family, of course it was, but we never saw the Grail and I can assure you that I know nothing of it.' Yet you are here. Guy Vexille accused the abbot harshly. True. Planchard acknowledged. And I am here by design. I first entered this house as a young man and I came here because the tales of the dark lords intrigued me. One of them was supposed to have taken the Grail, and the others were sworn to protect him, but my grandfather claimed he never saw the cup. Indeed, he thought it did not exist, but was merely invented to tantalize the Church. The crusaders had destroyed the Cathars and the revenge of the dark lords was to make them think they had destroyed the Grail along with the heresy. That, I think, is the devil's work.
So you came here. Vexille asked scornfully, because you did not believe the Grail existed?'
No, I came here because if ever the descendants of the dark lords were to seek the Grail then they would come here, I knew that, and I wanted to see what would happen. But that curiosity died long ago. God gave me many years, He was pleased to make me abbot, and He has enfolded me in His mercy. And the Grail? I confess I searched for memories of it when I first came here, and my abbot chided me for that, but God brought me to my senses. I now think my grandfather was right and that it is a tale invented to spite the Church and a mystery to make men mad.' It existed. Vexille said.
Then I pray to God that I find it. Planchard said, and when I do I shall hide it in the deepest ocean so that no more folk will ever die in its pursuit. But what would you do with the Grail, Guy Vexille?'
Use it. Vexille said harshly.
For what?'
To cleanse the world of sin.
That would be a great work. Planchard said, but even Christ could not achieve it.
Do you abandon weeding between the vines simply because the weeds always grow back?' Vexille asked.
No, of course not.
Then Christ's work must go on. Vexille said.
The abbot watched the soldier for a time. You are Christ's instrument? Or Cardinal Bessieres's tool?'
Vexille grimaced. The Cardinal is like the Church, Planchard. Cruel, corrupt and evil.
Planchard did not contradict him. So?'
So a new Church is needed. A clean Church, a sinless Church, a Church filled with honest men who live in God's fear. The Grail will bring that.
Planchard smiled. The Cardinal, I am sure, would not approve. The Cardinal sent his brother here. Vexille said, and doubt less he has orders to kill me when I have been useful. And your usefulness is what?'
To find the Grail. And to do that, I must first find my cousin. You think he knows where it is?'
I think his father possessed it. Guy Vexille said, and I think the son knows of it.
He thinks the same of you. Planchard said. And I think the two of you are like blind men who each thinks the other can see. Vexille laughed at that. Thomas. he said, is a fool. He brought men to Gascony for what? To find the Grail? Or to find me? But he failed and now he's a fugitive. A good few of his men have pledged their allegiance to the Count of Berat and the rest are trapped at Castillon d'Arbizon and how long will they last? Two months? He has failed, Planchard, failed. He might be blind, but I see, and I will have him and I will take what he knows. But what do you know?'
I have told you. Nothing.'
Vexille paced back to the chamber and stared at the abbot. I could put you to the torture, old man.'
You could,“ Planchard agreed mildly, and I would doubtless scream to be spared the torment, but you will find no more truth in those screams than I have told you willingly here.” He tucked his beads away and stood to his full height. And I would beg you in the name of Christ to spare this community. It knows nothing of the Grail, it can tell you nothing, and it can give you nothing.“ And I will spare nothing,” Vexille said, in the service of God. Nothing.“ He drew his sword. Planchard watched expressionless, and did not even flinch as the sword was pointed at him. Swear on this,” Vexille said, that you know nothing of the Grail.“ I have told you all I know. Planchard said and, instead of touching the sword, he raised the wooden crucifix that hung about his neck, and kissed it. I will not swear on your sword, but I do make oath on my dear Lord's cross that I know nothing of the Grail.”
But your family still betrayed us,“ Vexille said. Betrayed you?”
Your grandfather was one of the seven. He recanted.“ So he betrayed you? By cleaving to the true faith?” Planchard frowned. Are you telling me you keep the Cathar heresy, Guy Vexille?'
We come to bring light to the world,“ Vexille said, and to purge it of the Church's foulness. I have kept the faith, Planchard.” Then you are the only man who has. Planchard said, and it is an heretical faith.'
They crucified Christ for heresy. Vexille said,' so to be named a heretic is to be one with Him. Then he rammed the blade forward, into the base of Planchard's throat, and the old man, amazingly, did not appear to put up any struggle, but just clutched his crucifix as the blood surged from his throat to turn his white robe red. He took a long time to die, but eventually he slumped over and Vexille withdrew his sword and wiped the blade clean on the hem of the abbot's robe. He sheathed the blade and picked up the lantern.
He glanced about the ossuary, but saw nothing to worry him and so he climbed the stairs. The door shut, cutting off all light. And Thomas and Genevieve, hidden in the dark, waited. They waited all night. It seemed to Thomas he did not sleep at all, but he must have dozed for he woke once when Genevieve sneezed. Her wound was hurting, but she said nothing of it, just waited and half slept.
They had no idea when morning came for it was pitch dark in the ossuary. They had heard nothing all night. No footsteps, no screams, no chanted prayers, just the silence of the tomb. And still they waited until Thomas could abide the wait no longer and he wriggled out of their hole, across the bones and down to the floor. Genevieve stayed where she was as Thomas felt his way through the scattered bones to the stairs. He crept up, listened at the top for a while, heard nothing and so eased the broken door open. The abbey church was empty. He knew it was morning for the light came from the east, but it was hard to tell how high the sun had risen for the light was soft-edged, diffuse, and Thomas guessed there was a morning fog.
He went back down to the ossuary. He kicked something wooden as he crossed the floor and he stooped to find the empty grail box. For a moment he was tempted to return it to its chest, then he decided to keep it. It would just fit into his bag, he reckoned. Genevieve!“ he called softly. Come.”
