and with grave intent. He stood half turned away, so that Cadfaelcould not see his face, and certainly did not recall that he hadever seen the man before; and yet there seemed something curiouslyfamiliar about the compact, neat build, and the thrust of the headupward and forward, as though he jutted his jaw at the God withwhom he pleaded and argued, as at an equal of whom he had a rightto demand help in a worthy cause.

Cadfael shifted his ground a little to see the fixed profile,and at the same moment one of the candles, the flame reaching somefrayed thread, flared suddenly sidelong, and cast an abrupt lighton the young man’s face. It lasted only an instant, for heraised a hand and pinched away the fault briskly between finger andthumb, and the flame dimmed and steadied again at once. A strong,bright profile, straight-nosed and well chinned, a young man ofbirth, and well aware of his value. Cadfael must have made somesmall movement at the edge of the boy’s vision when thecandle flared, for suddenly he turned and showed his full face,still youthfully round of cheek and vulnerable honest of eye,wide-set brown eyes beneath a broad forehead and a thick thatch ofbrown hair.

The startled glance that took in Cadfael was quickly andcourteously withdrawn. In the act of returning to his silentdialogue with his maker the young man as suddenly stiffened, andagain turned, this time to stare as candidly and shamelessly as achild. He opened his mouth to speak, breaking into an eager smile,recoiled momentarily into doubt, and then made up his mind.

“Brother Cadfael? It is you?”

Cadfael blinked and peered, and was no wiser.

“You can’t have forgotten,” said the young manblithely, certain of his memorability. “You brought me toBromfield. It’s six years ago now. Olivier came to fetch meaway, Ermina and me. I’m changed, of course I am, but notyou—not changed at all!”

And the light of the candles was steady and bright between them,