“We will confer with Father Boniface,” saidRadulfus, “and he will surely agree to have you speak at aparish service. Of the sympathy of this house you may already beassured.”

“On brotherly love,” said Herluin graciously,“I knew we could rely. Others, like Brother Tutilo here andmyself, have gone forth to pray the aid of other Benedictine housesin other shires. We are charged, also, with carrying the news toall those brothers who were forced to scatter to save their liveswhen our troubles began, to call them home again, where they aresorely needed. For some of them cannot yet even know that AbbotWalter is back within the enclave, and has need of everyson’s labor and faith to bring about the great work ofrestoration. There is one of our number, I believe,” he said,earnestly watching the abbot’s face, “came here toShrewsbury, to the home of his family. I must see him, and exhorthim to return with me.”

“That is true,” Radulfus allowed. “SulienBlount, of the manor of Longner. He came here to us, with AbbotWalter’s countenance. The young man had not taken his finalvows. He was approaching the end of his novitiate, and was in somedoubt of his vocation. He came here upon terms, with hisabbot’s full leave, to consider on his future. It was his owndecision to leave this house, and return to his family, and Iabsolved him accordingly. In my view he had entered the Ordermistakenly. Nevertheless, he must and will answer for himself. Iwill have one of the brothers show you the way to his elderbrother’s manor.”

“I shall do my best to recall him to his betterself,” Herluin stated, with a distinct implication in histone that he would enjoy hounding back to the fold a reluctant butout-argued penitent.