The rain had continued unabated for the past month. While most of the time it was a misty drizzle, today it regained its strength. There were reports from the peasants that creeks were close to flooding, and the nobles were casting about for strategies on salvaging their crops and buildings, while merchants were leaving the surrounding towns, seeking drier places to stay until the weather changed. The familiars of the Inquisition, however, found themselves busy trying to keep the property of the church from falling apart. It seemed that the inquisidor gran of the Inquisition had no intention of leaving his work unfinished.
With no paperwork to do for the rest of the day, Marcos took the time to kneel in prayer. His words were the same that he had uttered every day of the past month.
“Lord, I am not worthy to receive your grace, but I ask that you show mercy to your servant who has fallen prey to Improbus. Let not the demon win the field this day.”
He kept silent as he meditated on the nature of God’s grace, until the door opened.
“Are you busy?”
Silence was kept for a moment longer, and then Marcos stood up.
“I am finished for the moment.”
“I have news that might brighten your day.”
“What news could come in this weather? Surely no messengers are on the roads today.”
“Actually, it’s not a formal message. It’s more of a rumor.”
“Well, what is it?”
“I don’t think secular authorities are waiting on O’Brian’s release.”
“Why not?”
“Because, apparently, all of the witnesses of his supposed murderous acts are unreliable at best and refuse to take oaths regarding the veracity of their statements.”
“Veracity, eh? Have you been studying that book in the office?”
“Yes, I have.”
“Excellent. Anyway, I do not understand. They were ready to lynch him at the docks.”
Pedro almost gave a slight grin.
“It seems that the heretic Lutherans and Anglicans on the boat got a little carried away with the actual events. The only thing they are willing to claim in front of a magistrate is that O’Brian was acting in a lewd manner towards the daughter of some Welshman. By some accounts, O’Brian slapped her on the… errr…”
“Thighs?”
“No…”
Marcos gestured to his chest.
“No, not her breasts…”
“Her buttocks?”
“Yes, those.”
“Right. Do go on.”
“In so slapping, he almost knocked her off the boat due to her surprise more so than the force of the blow. This outraged the passengers, but when a sailor died of fever, all they could see was murder.”
“So you’re telling me that O’Brian is no murderer, at least not within the jurisdiction of this land or ships bound for it?”
“It appears that way.”
“This is good news. We now have the luxury of flexibility. I can have the Inquisition clerks reclassify him officially as possessed. That will allow for the exorcists in Barcelona to take over and try to solve this problem. I hear they are very good.”
“Exorcists in Barcelona? Why would you call them in on this case?’
“Because that is their job. They are the official priests who do this sort of thing in Castile. Why they headquarter themselves in Barcelona, I have no idea.”
“That’s not what I meant. I meant why would you ask for them to perform an exorcism. You are the expert. They probably have learned about demons and devils from your book.”
“Yes, but I am no longer an exorcist. I am the Inquisidor of Castile. My assignment is to root out heresy and to correct erroneous doctrines among our clergy.”
“But…”
“I know what you want to say, Pedro, but listen to me very carefully. It was wrong of me to try and exorcise Improbus. It was the worst in vanity for me to think that I could chain O’Brian in my dungeon and cast out the demon, thus solving all the world’s problems. With such pride, it is no wonder that Christ denied me the satisfaction of defeating the demon. I should only have kept him imprisoned, sent for the exorcists, and prayed. I intend on doing just these things now.”
“So we will just admit defeat at the hands of Improbus?”
“No. We will instead give up this burden to Christ and His appointed servants.”
Pedro’s face betrayed disappointment.
“I know, Pedro. There is a part of me that would also like to have another duel with the demon, but that is what El Diablo wants us to feel. How often in history has El Diablo tempted Man with the sin of vanity? And how often has the Lord wrathfully corrected such defects in His people?”
“But is it pride to stand in the face of evil and to refuse it victory?”
“It is when the reason is to glorify ourselves. That is why I failed, and may very well fail again.”
They were silent for a moment before Pedro spoke.
“Let’s get letters to those padres in Barcelona.”
