“However admirable the fruit may be,” said the abbotdrily, “it does not justify priding oneself on a sin, norcalling a sin by any other name. But neither is there any profit inpassing today’s judgement upon a sin some thirty years past.Since your avowal I have very seldom found any fault to chasten inyou, beyond the small daily failings in patience or diligence, towhich we are all prone. Let us deal, therefore, with what confrontsus now. For I think you have somewhat to ask of me or to put to meconcerning Olivier de Bretagne.”

“Father,” said Cadfael, choosing his words gravelyand with deliberation, “if I presume in supposing thatfatherhood imposes a duty upon me, wherever child of mine may be introuble or misfortune, reprove me. But I do conceive of such aduty, and cannot heave it off my heart. I am bound to go and seekmy son, and deliver him when found. I ask your countenance and yourleave.”

“And I,” said Radulfus, frowning, but not wholly indispleasure, rather in profound concentration, “put to youthe opposing view of what is now your duty. Your vows bind youhere. Of your own will you chose to abandon the world and all yourties within it. That cannot be shed like a coat.”

“I took my vows in good faith,” said Cadfael,“not then knowing that there was in the world a being forwhose very existence I was responsible. From all other ties my vowsabsolved me. All other personal relationships my vows severed. Notthis one! Whether I would have resigned the world if I had known itcontained my living seed, that I cannot answer, nor may you hazardat an answer. But he lives, and it was I engendered him. He sufferscaptivity and I am free. He may be in peril, and I am safe. Father,can the creator forsake the least of his creatures? Can a man turnaway from his own imperilled blood? Is not procreation itself theundertaking of a sacred and inviolable vow? Knowing or unknowing,before I was a brother I was a father.”