The Miracle at St. Bruno's

"Indeed it is no abbey in the sense that St. Bruno's was. But there is the farm and the mill and the land has to be prepared for next year's harvests." I was talking because I was afraid of what questions she would ask me if I stopped. I said, "There will be the hay to be cut and baled; the corn; the animals...”

"Pray do not render me accounts of the laborers' duties for I have not come to hear that.”

"But you must understand that there is much work to be done, we shall need many men if we are to make this place prosper.”

"And Bruno? Where is he?”

"I believe him to be somewhere in the Abbey. Perhaps he is talking about the farmlands, or the mill, or like as not he is in the scriptorium with Valerian.”

"What did he say when he knew I was coming?”

"Very little.”

"Don't be maddening, Damask. What effect did it have on him?”

"What conceit! Do you think it is such an important event because you at last deign to visit us?”

"I should have thought it worthy of some comment.”

"He does not easily betray himself.”

This she conceded.

I asked how Carey was. Had he grown?

"It is a natural function for children to grow. Carey is normal in every way.”

"I long to see him.”

"You shall. I will bring him to the Abbey." She was looking at me searchingly. "What banal questions we ask each other! And you have this child here-Keziah's child!”

She looked at me searchingly. "Is that wise?”

"I had pledged myself.”

And Damask would always keep her word. And Bruno? What does he feel? His marriage not more than a few weeks old -and already a child!”

"He accepts the fact that I must keep my word. And I love the child.”

"You would. The eternal mother! That is you, Damask. And are you happy?”

"I am happy.”

"You always adored Bruno... blatantly. But then you were always so honest. You could never hide your feelings, could you?”

I avoided her eyes. "I don't think you were indifferent to him.”

"But you carried off the prize. Clever Damask.”

"I was not clever. It just happened.”

"You mean that he returned and asked you to marry him?”

"I do mean that.”

"And he said I will lay the rich Abbey at your feet. I will give you riches and jewels...”

I laughed. "You were always obsessed by riches, Kate. I remember when we were young you always said you would marry a Duke. I'm surprised that you settled for a mere Baron.”

"In the battle of life one takes an opportunity when it comes if it is reasonably good. To let it pass might mean to miss it altogether. There were not many noble visitors at your father's house, were there? Remus seemed a very worthy object of my attention.”

"Is he as doting as ever?”

"He dotes," said Kate. "And of course he is eternally grateful for the boy. But it is of you that I wish to talk... you, Damask. So much has happened here-more than has been happening in my little circle. Your mother producing twins and your strange marriage. That is what interests me.”

"I think you know what happened. Bruno came back and asked me to marry him. There had been a great deal of talk about the new owner of the Abbey. No one knew who it was. I agreed to marry Bruno-then he revealed to me who he was and that by a miracle he had acquired the Abbey.”

"It's a fantastic story and I never wholly believe fantastic stories.”

"Are you suggesting that I am lying to you, Kate?”

"Not you, Damask. But you must admit it is so very strange. So he asked you to marry him and only after did he reveal that the Abbey would be your home. What a secretive bridegroom! I'll dareswear you promised to share a life of poverty with him.”

"I had thought that was what it would be.”

She nodded slowly.

"Bruno is a proud man.”

"He has much of which to be proud.”

"Is not Pride a sin-one of the seven deadliest I had always been led to believe?”

"Oh, come, you are being censorious now, Kate. Bruno has a natural dignity.”

"That was not quite what I meant." Her face darkened momentarily and then she shrugged her shoulders. "Show me the Abbey, Damask," she said. "I should enjoy seeing it.

First this house. This solar is beautiful. I shall imagine you here when I am back at my gloomy old castle.”

"So the castle has become gloomy? I thought you were very proud of such a fine old place.”

"It is a castle merely-inhabited by the Remus family since the days of the first Edward. It could not be compared with an abbey, could it now?”

"I should have thought so and to its advantage.”

"Now, Damask, you are at your old trick. You are teaching me to count my blessings.

You were always something of a preacher. What do you think of the new religion? Did you know that many are probing into it? And it is against the law of course, which makes it so exciting. I believe it to be a simpler religion. Imagine the services in English! So easy for people to understand which is good in a way and yet so much of the dignity departs. It is so much more impressive when you are in doubt as to what it is all about.”

"You still flit from subject to subject in the same inconsequential manner. What has religion to do with architecture?”