Revelation

'One of the women made—' I felt myself reddening—'made an exhibition

'Jane, I expect.' She sighed. 'Are you here to see Adam Kite? I'll let you in, then I must go to the parlour.'

She led us to Adam's cell, opening the viewing hatch and looking in before unlocking and opening the door. I heard the rapid murmur of prayer from within.

'He's as usual, sir,' she said. 'And now, I must see to the others.' With a quick curtsy, she turned and walked to the parlour, cutting off a hubbub of noise as she closed the door. The Chained Scholar seemed to have gone quiet.

'A woman keeper,' Guy said. 'Remarkable.'

'She at least seems to be kind to the patients. She warned me against Shawms. But now, we must go inside. I warn you, this is — bad.'

'I am ready,' he answered quietly.

I led the way in. The notice from the court had had an effect: the room smelt better, there was a small fire in the grate, fresh rushes were on the floor, and Adam wore clean clothes. But he was as before, a creature of skin and bone crouched in a corner, his back to us, praying quickly, desperately. 'God, please tell me I am saved, saved by Your grace

Guy looked at Adam for a second, then hitched up his robe and crouched down beside him with a litheness remarkable in a man of his age. He looked into Adam's face. Adam gave him a quick sidelong look. His eyes widened a little as he registered Guy's unusual colour, but only for a moment, then he turned his head away and began praying again.

Guy twisted his head to try and look into the boy's eyes. He waited till Adam paused for breath, and asked softly, 'Adam, why do you believe God has abandoned you?'

Something flickered in Adam's eyes, and I saw that a connection had been made. 'No,' he whispered fiercely. 'If I pray, abase myself before Him, He will show me I am saved!’

'Will you not rise? I would like to talk to you and I am too old to squat on a stone floor.' Gently, he reached out to take Adam's arm. At once the boy's face set hard, he clenched his teeth and curled his body tighter. Guy released him. 'All right,' he said quietly. 'The poor old man will just have to crouch.'

'Who are you?' A whisper from Adam, the first words I had heard from him that were not frantic entreaties to the Deity.

'I am a doctor. I want to find out why you think God has abandoned you.'

'He has not,' Adam said fiercely.

'But He will not give you assurance you are saved?'

'Not yet. I have read the Bible and I pray, I pray.' Tears came to his eyes. 'But his assurance will not come.'

'That is hard.'

'Reverend Meaphon prayed with me for days, he fasted me as the Book prescribes. But I only fainted.'

'You pray so hard,' Guy asked gently, 'would you hear God if He answered you?'

Adam frowned, looked at Guy suspiciously. 'How could I not hear Him?'

'Because of your fear that is so strong it drowns everything. Is it Hell you fear?'

'The eternal burning,' Adam whispered, so low Guy had to bend close to him. 'Last night I had a dream.'

'What was it?'

'I was in a coach, such as rich persons are driven in. A black coach, four black horses pulling it. We were driving along a country lane, the fields brown and the trees bare. I wondered where I was being taken. Then we passed through a village and the people came out to their doorsteps and said, "He is being driven deeper into Hell. Deeper and deeper. Woe for the pains he will suffer, he is so bad he must be taken to the very depths!" I looked ahead and I saw a red glow on the horizon, felt a sulphurous heat.'

'Who was driving the coach?' Guy asked.

'I cannot remember.' Suddenly Adam broke down, sobbing desperately, tears running down his dirty face. Guy laid a hand on his shoulder. 'Cry,' he said. 'Yes.' And I saw deep sadness in his own eyes, Guy who had been so coldly rational about Roger, who had discussed his corpse's innards with his apprentice. I felt an unreasoning stab of anger.

At length Adam's tears subsided. Again Guy tried to coax him to his feet, but still the boy resisted. 'I must pray,' he said, in tones of desperate exhaustion. 'Please, I have wasted time talking, I have to pray.'

'Very well. But let me ask you a question. Why do you think God visits this suffering upon you? Do you think He has singled you out?'

'No.' Adam shook his head vigorously, though he looked at the wall, not at Guy. 'All should fear the pains of Hell as I do. Burning, in agony, for ever and ever. In our church we know the truth, that is what awaits those who are not saved, who sin.'

'And the other believers, Reverend Meaphon's congregation, are they sinners too?'

'Yes, but they have all received God's assurance that they are forgiven, they are among the elect, the saved.'

'But not you?'