Morbus Dei: The Sign of Aries. Matthias Bauer

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СКАЧАТЬ for instance we could wait and do nothing until we get to our destination and are all killed.’

      Alain was silent for a moment. Since his comrades had thrown him into the prison waggon, he too had played out numerous scenarios in his head without coming to a decision. At least, not one that would bring back his old life.

      ‘Alright, assuming we could create a situation of chaos, ‘he said, ‘what then?’

      ‘Then we’ll run off and get help. First for ourselves, then for the others. These people haven’t done anything wrong, we can’t simply leave them to their fate.’

      ‘You’re mad,’ said Alain, meaning it.

      ‘Better mad than dead,’ she quipped and if Alain had known Elisabeth for longer, he would have recognized the spirited, affable woman she had once been.

      ‘I don’t know. I’ll have to sleep on it.’

      ‘Quiet in there!’ boomed a voice from the doorway. ‘Or you’ll find yourselves back in the prison waggon!’

      Elisabeth looked soberly at Alain. ‘Then sleep well.’

      She closed her eyes.

      I love you, Johann.

      XVIII

      ‘We should catch up with them by tomorrow,’ said the Prussian with utter conviction.

      ‘I hope so,’ replied Johann.

      They had been silently riding alongside one another for hours, each lost in his own thoughts. The countryside was becoming hillier and the mountains to the south and east towered up like massive fortification walls. They drove their horses on relentlessly, passing horse and carts, carriages, messengers on horseback and farmers pulling carts, stopping only to allow the animals to drink.

      Yet the closer they got, the more misgivings Johann had. The chase was one thing but bagging your prey was quite another. There were five of them, including himself. Their opponents probably numbered a dozen.

      Or more.

      And the worst thing was he still had no plan because he wasn’t sure of the lay of the land. Were there really two waggons and a carriage? Which one was Elisabeth in? And where was Gamelin?

      Gamelin.

      He know that all he had done really was replace one evil with another. Von Pranckh, his arch enemy, was dead but he had left behind him a new foe in the shape of Gamelin. So von Pranckh had ultimately triumphed over Johann, had triumphed over death itself, it seemed, and had denied him what he had been so sure of: a future together with Elisabeth.

      Johann shook off his dark thoughts. First they had to find the convoy, then they would-

      Never be too certain about things. Leave some room for spontaneity.

      Just improvise, thought Johann with a smile. Abbot Bernardin had been right about that as he had about everything.

      The sun was sinking towards the horizon and the blossoming countryside was one last blaze of colour. A castle of clouds loomed over the mountains, boding ill for travellers over next few days.

      ‘My arse has got used to riding non-stop for hours but not my horse,’ said Karl, who had come up alongside Johann and the Prussian. He patted his horse, which was breathing heavily. ‘How Markus’s horse is able to stand it, beats me.’

      They glanced behind and won a mischievous smile from Markus, whose horse seemed to be trotting along quite comfortably.

      ‘You’re right,’ said Johann, turning back and scouring the road in front of them for somewhere to stay the night. ‘I wouldn’t say no to a drop of wine and some bread and butter myself.’

      Hans caught up with them. ‘And don’t forget: if you lose two more points at sixty-six, you pay for the next round. Isn’t that right, Lieutenant?’ he said, looking at the Prussian.

      ‘I’ll give you points alright, so many you’ll think you’ve got the bubonic plague, sonny,’ grunted the Prussian.

      ‘That’s enough talk about the plague, you’re making me itch,’ said Karl, scratching his arm.

      ‘I’d try washing for a change,’ said Hans, in a deadpan voice. ‘It’s the dirt, my friend, not the plague.’

      The men burst into laughter and for a moment they forgot the danger facing them.

      It wasn’t long before they caught sight of a low house with a thatched roof and a battered sign with a wine jug painted on it.

      ‘Grub’s up!’ cried Karl delighted, and he spurred his horse.

      A short while later a troop of about a dozen soldiers with yellow coat lapels rode past the inn.

      XIX

      Chronicle of Melk

      Anno Domini 1704

      In Nomine SS. Trinitatis

      With the winter behind us, building work on the abbey is progressing rapidly thanks to Jakob Prandtauer, as reported by reverend Abbot Berthold Dietmayr. I like to picture to myself how one day the abbey will be seen from far and wide, impressing and greeting pilgrims, townsfolk and wayfarers alike.

      We recently had the honour of receiving a high-level visitation from Envoy to the Holy Father in Rome, Antonio Maria Sovino, and his Black Guard, and were permitted to offer them food and lodgings. They stayed for several days and refused no one an audience so that even the needs of our citizens did not go unheard. Thanks to the broadminded times we live in, envy and malice found no hearing with the representative from Rome. Obviously other methods are used today than during the Inquisition.

      Unfortunately, Father Sovino had to witness a terrible tragedy during his stay when the farm of a Protestant, Werner Schramb, went up in flames, wiping out his whole family and destroying the servants’ quarters and all its occupants as well as the stables. The fire happened the day before yesterday, just after midnight, and lit up the sky for miles around.

      We held prayers jointly with Visitator Sovino, which at least offered the souls of the deceased some peace.

      XX

      The convoy of waggons had set off again early that morning and a strong wind was tugging at the tarpaulin and banging it against the iron bars of the waggon. It was getting cold and storm clouds were obscuring the sun. With her hand instinctively over her belly, Elisabeth peered through a gap in the tarpaulin and watched the boughs of the passing conifers bending and swaying in the wind.

      The beautiful countryside, which had cheered her up over the past few days and helped take her mind off the dreariness of the prison waggon, had suddenly turned menacing.

      The soldiers threw coarse leather hides over their shoulders, covering the weapons at their hips, and tied their hats firmly under their chins.

      ‘Count me in,’ whispered Alain.

      Elisabeth looked at him. ‘Are you sure we’ll make it?’

      ‘No.’

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