‘And who is party to this?’
‘Everyone here, as well as Alberic and Norbert, whom we trust.’
‘And Anstritha?’ Eleanor opened the wallet on her belt and brought out the piece of parchment Fulcher had entrusted to her. She opened this up and pushed it across to Hugh: he seized it, studied it and passed it round the others.
‘Further proof,’ he murmured. ‘I do not know what Anstritha found. Norbert and Alberic only told me after she was killed how she too had searched for certain relics. Alberic hid when she came to seek sanctuary in his church; he was terrified she might name him as an accomplice.’ Hugh drew a deep breath. ‘Anstritha was the widow of a physician. She journeyed to Jerusalem where she met Alberic and Norbert. They became members of the Temple Brotherhood, a secret community dedicated to discovering relics of the Lord’s Passion. Anstritha never mentioned any half-brother, hidden menaces or secret enemies, but she did collect information about the Dome of the Rock, hence this map. Alberic later persuaded her to return to France, where she settled at St Nectaire. When the Crusade was preached, Norbert, recalling my family’s links with the Benedictine order, journeyed to ask for my help.’ Hugh leaned forward, face excited. ‘When Jerusalem falls, we shall seek out these treasures of God. Look upon the face of Christ, reveal them to the rest of Christendom! Proof that Our Lord lived, died and was resurrected, leaving sacred marks on certain cloths.’
‘And Veronica?’ Eleanor asked. ‘Fulcher gave me that name.’
‘The woman who cleansed Christ’s face as he was being led out to crucifixion. According to some legends, Veronica also provided the mandylion, which covered the divine face in the sepulchre, as well as the shroud in which His body was wrapped. Legend has it that a woman should keep these sacred cloths and be given the title “Veronica”. Those icons you viewed in Hagia Sophia? You noticed the similarity in different paintings from different eras? My belief, as well as that of the Poor Brethren, is that they are all based on the real image of Our Saviour, which has now disappeared, though we shall find it.’ Hugh paused as Eleanor raised a hand.
‘You mentioned the Resurrection? This is more than a holy relic? The relics we studied in Hagia Sophia, they are all based on the real likeness of Christ?’
‘A miraculous likeness,’ Hugh replied. ‘Transferred to cloth by divine means. Proof that Christ did suffer but rose again. These relics are not just ordinary ones, but living proof of our belief.’
‘And Norbert and Alberic have discovered evidence for this?’
‘Norbert was allowed into many monasteries to study in their scriptoria and libraries and trace the history of these holy Images. About a hundred years ago a group of refugee Greek monks set up a cult in Rome near the abandoned church of St Boniface. They worshipped an icon that one manuscript describes as an image of Our Lord Jesus, not fashioned by human hand, imprinted on a shroud. According to another document, the Acts of Thaddeus, Jesus wiped his face on a cloth folded in four yet left his image on it. More importantly, Pope Stephen II delivered a sermon, oh, some three hundred years ago, in which he described a famous cloth.’ Hugh closed his eyes as he recalled the lines. ‘ “Wonderful it is to see or hear such a thing, the glorious face of Jesus, and the majestic form of his whole body has been miraculously transferred. For those who never had the opportunity to see his earthly appearance, they can do so as it has been imprinted on the linen.” ’ He opened his eyes. ‘Don’t you see, Eleanor — an image of Christ as he really was?’
Eleanor turned to Theodore. ‘And you believe this?’
‘Passionately, sister. I too wish to secure my faith on something.’
‘You mentioned danger?’
‘And their name is Legion,’ Godefroi replied, leaning across the table. ‘Eleanor, we have seen what is happening within our own small communities. Churches, monasteries and abbeys are founded and each hungers for its own relics. Can you imagine what would happen if the relics we’ve described were brought into the marketplace to be sold to the highest bidder? A veritable fortune could be made. A king’s ransom demanded. We know little about Anstritha. She was frightened to tell Alberic and Norbert the full truth, but her half-brother may have been a man called the Magus, named after Simon Magus, the magician who tried to buy the spiritual powers of St Peter and was punished for his sins. This Magus lurks deep in the shadows. He peddles sacred relics as a butcher would hunks of meat. He has been hired by city communes and councils to secure relics by fair means or foul, usually the latter. We believe, though we have little proof, that this Magus is probably the masked horseman who stirred up the villagers against Anstritha, silenced her mouth once and for all and ransacked her possessions, possibly searching for the map you have given us. The Magus tried to steal the corpse of St Modaldus from the Church of St Symphronius in Trier but failed when her body began to bleed. He was more successful in other ventures: the body of St Sanctus from a church in Meaux and that of St Nicholas from Myra which he sold to the city of Bari.’
‘Who is he? Where is he?’
‘We don’t know. He may be one of us, but,’ Hugh pointed at the square of parchment, ‘he would be deeply interested in that. Perhaps,’ he shrugged, ‘he is a member of the Beggars’ Company. If so, there will be further trouble with that coven.’
‘They have already invoked the blood feud against us,’ Theodore added quickly, ‘for the death of their comrades.’
‘Rapists and murderers,’ Eleanor retorted. ‘Count Raymond fully approved of what Hugh did.’
‘I hope God does.’ Hugh replied wearily. ‘The Beggars will have to be watched, but in the end, the relics of the Lord’s Passion are what we seek. Eleanor, we waited until now to tell you the full truth, for to do so earlier may have been dangerous. The Magus will strike at anyone who has knowledge of this, and that now includes you. The dangers, as Godefroi said, are many. Alberic and Norbert are devoted servants of the Poor Brethren but they have brought a legion of other troubles with them.’ Hugh walked to the window, then crossed to the door. He opened this, closed it and returned to the table. ‘We all know about the Holy Father’s sermon at Clermont, but that is not the full truth of our situation. Alberic and Norbert are our teachers in this. They also spent years with the teachers of Islam, who have a faith as certain and firm as ours. They too have their own codes and laws. They too regard Jerusalem as sacred. They call the Dome of the Rock ‘a Noble Sanctuary, the Haram’, a revered site. According to their faith, the great Prophet Muhammad, having fallen asleep while praying in his home town of Mecca, was woken by the Angel Gabriel. He mounted a winged horse called Al-Buraq and was taken “to the most furthest place”, the Dome of the Rock. Once there, the great Prophet ascended into heaven to pray with Abraham, Moses, Jesus and the other leading prophets, as well as receive final instruction for his teaching.’
‘The Dome of the Rock is a Holy Place for all faiths,’ Theodore took up the story, ‘and, therefore, a powerful attraction for fanatics, be they Frankish, Muslim or Jewish. One Muslim group, a heretical sect called the Fedawi — the Devoted Ones — are committed to guarding the Dome of the Rock and all its secrets. They are assassins garbed in white with blood-red girdle and slippers. Each carries two long curved daggers. They answer only to their leader, Sheik Al Jehal. They are feared and hated by other followers of Islam, who regard them as heretics because, full of wine mixed with opium, they will strike at those who oppose them or whomever they regard as an enemy.’
Hugh fumbled at his wallet and drew out a roll of parchment.
‘Alberic and Norbert had to flee Jerusalem. Their search for the secret chambers provoked suspicions amongst the Fedawi. One morning they woke to find a dagger thrust into the bolster of a bed with a scroll bearing a warning.’ Hugh unrolled the parchment and read its contents: