The Two Confessions by John Whitbourn (good books to read for adults .TXT) 📕

Foolish infidel: how dare you tug at death'sshirtsleeves so? Is your ‘worst case’ mere eternal sleep? Ha! Considerscripture: Hebrews chapter nine, verse twenty-seven: 'But after this, thejudgement'.’ Then he spoilt the high sentiments with a grin.

‘Idare because I shall win,’ stated Samuel, ‘and come back. And I’ll come backbecause I’ve got things to do. Important things. And that's the difference'tween me and other tries.’

TheSicarii almost looked impressed, but there was no real way of telling.

‘Doyou know what?’ he said, amused. ‘You're half-way plausible.’

Hestood to one side, clearing the way to the unlocked door and the wider world -and freedom. Mock theatrically, he waved Samuel on.

‘Sogo forth, doubting-one; away you go to resolve the believers' doubts!’

Trevanknew he'd fallen amongst capricious people, and so took the chance whilst hehad it. Only when actually through the door did he pause and turn back.

‘I'llbe in touch then,’ he said.

TheSicarii nodded and smiled warmly at him: a horrible, chilling, sight.

************

To: The Officer of the Vatican Inner Cabinet of Temporal Affairs,commonly 'THE SICARII', attached to:

 The Commander and Staff.

  The Military Encampment.

   Llanthony

    Near Brecon.

     West England.

 

Sir (for I do not know the proper form of address to your kind)

 

I acknowledge safe receipt and proper employment of the generous fundsalready supplied, for which find the exact accounting on the separate sheetattached. Communications by the swiftest means is sought with some of my formermechanicals in London, the best and most discreet experts in the harnessing ofsteam, and contracts enforcing confidentiality are drawn up ready. If theyaccompany the engines purchased in the Crutched Friars City Foundry last week,I am confident of draining operations before the month is out. To this end, the'volunteer' pioneers and sappers mentioned will be required at your earliestconvenience. Likewise the bonded Cymric labourers available, as you say, fromthe Hibernian farming collectives in your immediate vicinity. Also some English-speakingslavemasters, from the same source, for the workers' proper ordering anddiscipline.

Then, since you ask for a full and complete listing of my foremostrequirements, I append as follows:

Item: Gabion baskets, 4 score of.

Item: 300 cubits of standard-beam seasoned mining timber.

Item: 50 cubits of cast iron tram track - for appearance's sake.

Item: One sturdy dolly-tub and winch.

Item: 12 cut-off carbines, of the new flintlock mechanism, thus fit andsafe for employment underground.

Item: 12 brace of pistols, similar.

Item: 1 brace of shotguns, similar - but truncated.

Item: Canvas tenting sufficient to house...

...

Item:...

 

Samuelhesitated over making the last entry in two close-written pages of demands. Hisink-stick came off the page, he postponed matters by taking another sip of coldcoffee. All instinct argued against revealing the slightest weakness to thesepeople. On the other hand, when again would he be offered every wish bymiracle-workers? Did faery-godmothers revisit those who spurned them?

Answer:no, probably not. This chance would never return. So, it all depended just howmuch he wanted the thing. Was it worth the risk?

Samuelthought - for less time than it took for his pen to fall. It was worthit. It was the only thing on the whole list he really wanted.

Item: Removal of all barriers to matrimony between myself and MissMelissa Farncombe, only daughter of Mrs and Mrs Melville Farncombe, Lewes, EastSussex, England.

 

Awaiting your prompt and kind reply, I remain, sir-sicarii, yourobedient servant.

 

Samuel Melchizedek Trevan

 

This day of Our Lord, 12th May 1997

at the Forge Inn, Welcombe, Devonshire.

************

Inbusiness matters the Sicarii was a man of few words. Samuel's letter wasreturned by military courier with just a cover note attached. It bore the tersemessage: 'Agreed'.

Suspendingbreath, Samuel double-checked - and then kissed the paper. His every request,including the last, was ticked without comment.

U[U[U[U[U[U[U

cHAPTER 28

‘Two ratchets!’

Samuel'sorder was distorted as it echoed up the shaft, but the surface team got thegist. The craft lurched downwards twice more.

‘Thatshould do us.’

Trevanleant over the side and buried a halberd blade, grappling-hook style, into theside-tunnel wall. Assisted by the ham-like arms of a miner, he pulled thepassenger tub closer to the opening. ‘Close enough?’ he grunted, the weight ofhalf a dozen, not exactly sylph-like, men straining even his powers.

‘Soonera drop than a jump,’ said the mining engineer, quoting some professional axiom.He was entirely at home in such dark, watery and God-forsaken places - andproved it by vaulting over the side. There was a pause, and then they heard hisboots thump onto the tunnel floor opposite. Candlelight from his helmetreflected off the walls, mimicking a swift tour of inspection.

‘She'ssweet,’ he said finally, a disembodied voice from out of the black. ‘You cancome over.’

Youcould if you were agile and brave or disinclined to be thought timid. The tubswayed over the unplumbed drop, ten or twelve feet above the new flood level.Their torches barely reached that far, revealing only uninviting inky waters.It required fine judgement and faith to time your swing out of the tub into theside passage.

Samuelwas last out, just to be awkward, and minus its human ballast the carry-tubswung like a pendulum. He left without grace, travelled without style, andarrived like ten sacks of potatoes - but made it.

‘Right,’he said, re-asserting himself by having the first word, ‘if we've come down aventilation shaft, what's this then?’

‘Mywords were mebbe a ventilation shaft,’ answered the engineer, who wasnot to be imposed upon by any mere employer. ‘No ladder or pulley fitments canmean that, but not always. 'Specially in old time diggings. Let's holdjudgement a space, if it's all the same to you.’

Dulytold off Samuel shut up. This was a fraught enough project without him sparkingdiscord at the start. All kinds of sensitive souls were being brought together,not all of them knowing the truth of the matter. There'd be occasion for a timeof reckoning when the true objective was achieved.

‘Andmind your footing,’ the engineer ordered. ‘It's wet and treacherous here andlike to get worse.’

Samuelsaw the man's final dubious look before setting off. New to the company, hecouldn't place half these people currently with him. The engineer didn't seehow they had any business down a reclaimed digging. And, if they weren't minersor drainers or investors, then what were they?

Trustedmen was the answer but Samuel wasn't about to divulge that. He'd written toLondon and brought various useful types west. Two of