Duncton Found

by William Horwood

  These, invariably, were moles known to have been shocked by what had happened so summarily at Whern and, unable to keep their feelings secret – or overheard by Mallice – made it plain that Lucerne could not rely on them. In any case it was part of his strategy to make clear that it was the young who were to be favoured, and who might gain the quickest advancement in return for absolute loyalty to him.

  Yet Lucerne was no fool, and nor was Mallice, and they were well able to judge that some moles, though their loyalties might initially be in doubt, were too valuable to eliminate for reason of the knowledge they brought back of place and mole.

  Lucerne also quickly realised that if he was to move the main caucus of the sideem south it must be done during autumn and before the winter came. Which being so, the young untried sideem would not have time to travel too far south and report back to him. He must, then, formulate his strategy for the great crusade on information provided by older sideem; and if there were those among them who were deserving of punishment then their names would be scrivened down against the day when they could be dispensed with and replaced with younger and more zealous blood. Yet whatever the shortcomings of the older sideem, the reports they brought presented to Lucerne and his Keepers a picture of decay and danger too consistent to be doubted. And, as events subsequently showed, one accurate enough to make the formidable strategy for the renewed imposition of the Word that Lucerne and Terce developed soundly based and almost certain of success.

  A record exists of these reports since it was the habit of Terce and his clerical minions to scriven all they heard verbatim, as Lucerne himself would have heard it.

  With the initial reports Lucerne rarely interrupted to ask questions, and only slowly did his questioning begin. Until then he left such questions to older and more knowledgeable Keepers than himself, and saw what mattered most to them. It was as if he chose to listen first and learned to comprehend what he heard, though there is some evidence that he was simultaneously, and no doubt with Terce’s guidance, going through old reports from the previous cycles of seasons which had also been routinely kept.

  When, at last, in the final quarter of July he began interrogating for himself, his questions have startling point, and are invariably well informed. This was significant enough, for all who faced his questioning afterwards said that they had never met a mole who had a better grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the Word over moledom, or of details of individual systems which even moles who had visited and lived in them sometimes did not have.

  But even more significant is the difference between what Lucerne rapidly became most interested in compared to what the sideem, especially the older ones used to easier ways, were prepared and able to report.

  Again and again in the scrivened reports we find Lucerne interrupting some hapless sideem with, “I don’t want guesses or answers that you think we would like to hear. I want facts, facts, and more facts.” And then again, exasperated, “Mole, you are wasting our time, we cannot base a crusade upon surmise. How many days’ travel is it between those systems, if fair weather? And how many in foul?”

  What Lucerne, with Terce and strong Clowder at his flank, showed interest in were matters such as the incidence of followers in one system as against another; or the spread of disease among moles of the Word, or the dispositions and strengths of guardmoles between different systems; or with things that seemed trivial to the irritated sideem, like effective and ineffective route-ways, the numbers of moles in one place or another, and even the dialects spoken and patterns of soil and worm supply.

  Often the reporting sideem were much discomforted by such questions, for they had not thought to ask them, and certainly did not know the answers. So it was not long before Lucerne had gained the reputation for turning these debriefings of sideem into rigorous trials of a mole’s abilities, and not a few were left in little doubt at the end of them that they would not have much future in the coming crusade. Others emerged strongly as moles of resource and intelligence who, it seemed, had only needed a change to such leadership as this to show their potential for the Word.

  While the new sideem, as Lucerne no doubt intended, were given clearly to understand that when they returned to give their reports they must expect a thorough interrogation, and be ready with answers which went beyond comfortable affirmations that the way of the Word was being observed.

  By the beginning of August certain persistent themes in all these reports had emerged to which Lucerne and his advisers gave great importance, and which helped shape the crusade’s initial strategy.

  First, despite the ruthlessness of Henbane’s original invasion of the south, and the efficiency with which eldrene and attendant guardmoles had been installed in all large systems, belief in the Stone was not dead, but, rather, hidden and sometimes tolerated. It was plain that in those areas near three of the ancient Seven – Rollright, Duncton and Fyfield – the Stone was alive in moles’ hearts, and seemingly gaining strength once more. Only in Avebury did it appear wholly eradicated.

  The impulse behind this movement by followers of the Stone was the belief, prevalent since spring though with no evident source or basis in fact, that the “Stone Mole” had come. Whether or not such a mole existed was disputed – the reports Lucerne had got were so far ambiguous and conflicting – but it was plain enough once the reports had been pieced together that a belief prevailed that he was alive, and that he lived in or had come from the troublesome system of Duncton Wood.

  But if these areas gave cause of zealous concern, what was happening further west was a source of outrage. Lucerne seems to have been already aware of the name of Alder, the former guardmole who had taken over the military leadership of Siabod, and sometime that July he and Clowder became aware of another great mole of those parts, Troedfach of Tyn-y-Bedw. There were no reports of anymole of the Word ever seeing him, but enough of rumour and occasional hearsay from captured Stone followers to make clear that he was the mole who held sway among the rebels along the Marches.

  Even in a few places north of Whern systems lived in open rejection of the Word and seemed impervious to attempts to correct them.

  “They persist in their inclinations to the Stone for their system was founded long before the coming of the Word,” Lucerne heard one of his new sideem report.

  “Do you know of these systems?” Lucerne asked Terce.

  “They have been discussed by the Keepers in times past,” replied the Twelfth Keeper carefully, “but have been felt to be of little consequence. We cannot monitor every system. When Ribblesdale was taken to the Word these few systems, which I believe lie on its western side, were judged to be beyond the limit of our need.”

  “Well?” said Lucerne turning to a young sideem. “And are they of consequence now?”

  The mole looked uncertainly between the Master-to-be and Terce, not liking to be caught between the two.

  “Tell the truth, mole,” said Lucerne gently and with a smile. “I shall know if you do not.”

  “Perhaps they were not once,” replied the sideem, “but it seems that the infection of their belief is spreading into the systems of Ribblesdale itself.”

  “Have not the eldrene sent guardmoles out to warn and correct?”

  “They have, but to no effect. Accordingly I visited them myself.”

  “Good, very good,” said Lucerne. “No harm came to you?”

  “I was not threatened, but....”

  “They would not hear the Word?”

  “They listened politely and told me I was ‘misguided’. I asked what their belief was and all they said was, ‘Words will not touch your heart. Live with us and you shall know.’ I warned them of the Word’s vengeance if they sent missions into Ribblesdale. They said they had not. They said it was for nomole to spread any faith, including that of the Word. I said the Word is. They said maybe. They never once threatened though I heard it from guardmoles who went there that it is not advisable to attempt force or do violence of any kind agains
t them. I asked them of this and....”

  Terce shot a glance of approval at Lucerne. This surely was the kind of report he liked.

  “... and they said they would never knowingly kill a mole nor let another kill. For this reason they would resist attacks upon themselves. Guardmoles had used force against them so one of them had to stop them.”

  “One of them?” said Lucerne.

  “Yes,” said the sideem coolly. “One alone stopped eight guardmoles.”

  “Killed them?”

  The sideem shook his head. “Disabled them.”

  There was silence at this extraordinary report.

  “It is not the first time, nor the second,” said the sideem. “I understand the first thing new eldrene do in Ribblesdale is to try to make these moles Atone, but they have never yet proved amenable.”

  “What is the name of this recalcitrant system?” asked Lucerne.

  “Mallerstang,” said the mole.

  “I will hear more of this from you,” said Lucerne. “But not now... You have done well. We shall talk again about this Mallerstang.”

  But probably the most notorious example of systems in successful opposition, for it was one which had long been known yet never successfully suppressed, was Beechenhill where the already legendary rebel Squeezebelly was said to still lead effective opposition to any grike or guardmole or sideem who dared show his snout in those parts. This was most certainly a system of the Stone. Unlike the moles of Mallerstang, Beechenhill moles were prepared to kill to protect the continuing error of their ways.

  Such is an outline of the catalogue of opposition to the Word of which Lucerne had been made aware by the time summer reached its height in August. At the same time he had gathered much intelligence about individual sideem and eldrene, and was beginning to make dispositions among those who might take over lax systems, or go to the support of undermoled ones.

  “‘Lax’ is the proper word, Terce. Lax,” said Lucerne one day. “Most systems are of the Word, most are under no physical threat of the Stone, and where the Stone predominates are but marginal areas such as the west and Beechenhill where they are well contained by us. But... infections easily spread. My mother’s campaign was not consolidated as a young sideem’s early training is consolidated by the austerities and disciplines imposed by his Tutor Keeper. We shall be the very Tutor Keeper of moledom, and cleanse it of the rebellion of spirit! I like not permissiveness and negligence... We shall appoint new moles to the guardianship of the main systems, and give the eldrenes power once more to force Atonement. Moles must suffer to be cleansed.”

  But perhaps the appointment that concerned him most was that of Wyre in Buckland, which was still the stronghold of the south. Wyre had gained power under Henbane, but reports of him now were ambivalent and contradictory. In his time he had certainly been a strong and decisive mole but it seemed that since the spring he had been ill with scalpskin and had lost the confidence of some of those at Buckland. Certainly there was news of increasing restiveness in the systems south of Duncton Wood. But the reports were patchy and too vague to make it possible for Lucerne to decide on what detailed action to take there.

  “What is clear,” he told Terce at this time, “is that we know enough to know we have just cause to mount a crusade against the Stone, but we know too little in any detail to be able to do more than plan a general strategy... I must know more. I must have facts. I must have a sense of where to attack first, where to attack hardest, and in what ways the followers’ faith in the Stone is vulnerable.”

  Terce agreed.

  “Our sideem shall become better trained in gathering information,” he said.

  “And more regular in providing it!” interrupted Lucerne. “But for that we need to move our centre south.”

  “Which is what the Master Rune always said must be done,” continued Terce. “And to a system easily reached from north and south.”

  “And one that is placed to mount a campaign against the west side of moledom,” said Clowder. “I like not the reports from the Marches, nor that we have lost credence in Siabod once more. Yet... it is a long time since we campaigned and we shall have things to learn. What happened to the mole Wrekin, Henbane’s general?”

  “Retired,” said Terce. “Dead, I think. He came from north of here.”

  “And Ginnell?” asked Clowder.

  “Wrekin’s second-in-command? He is in the west still. I have never met him, but I hear good of him. He has sent reports regularly, but never uses sideem. Like Wrekin before him, sideem worry him.” Terce permitted himself the briefest of cold smiles.

  “I think we should talk with him,” said Clowder, turning to Lucerne.

  “I agree,” said Lucerne.

  “Shall I recall him?” said Clowder.

  “He is not a mole to treat casually,” said Terce, “and might treat a simple recall as an insult.”

  “I know that, Tutor Keeper, I know it well,” growled Clowder. “But with respect, he will as like talk more sense to me than a thousand namby sideem who wouldn’t know a military report from their arse if they heard it with their own ears.”

  Lucerne smiled. He remembered his mother saying that the military mind and the sideem mind were different things. Clowder was at least anointed, and nomole could doubt his loyalty to the Word, but if he was to be to Lucerne what Wrekin had been to Henbane, then just such blunt directness and impatience was what he would need. No harm would come of conflict between Terce and Clowder, provided neither felt the other had the upper paw.

  “We shall move south to a system I shall name,” said Lucerne, stopping their argument before it got further. “To it we shall summon Ginnell and he shall tell us of the campaign along the Marches, and of Siabod. If he is the mole I have heard he is he will know a great deal more than that. You shall serve with him for a time, Clowder.”

  “With him?” repeated Clowder slowly.

  Lucerne stared at him unflinching.

  “As his subordinate, then. Yes, why not? A little humility will not hurt. You will have things to learn and he shall teach them to you.”

  Clowder was speechless. Terce relaxed and looked a little smug to see Clowder discomfited.

  “And you, Twelfth Keeper, surprise me,” said Lucerne turning on him suddenly. “You have not even thought to establish whether Wrekin is alive or dead. Supposing alive and living north? What if moles of the Stone find him? Had I been told he might be alive sooner then our chance of apprehending Henbane might have been better.”

  Terce looked puzzled. It was Clowder’s turn to be amused.

  Lucerne leaned menacingly close to Terce and the two moles eyed each other coldly.

  “Wrekin is the only mole apart from Tryfan of Duncton I ever heard my mother speak of with respect. Might she not have fled to him? If there is even the smallest chance that she has then we should investigate it, should we not? I cannot stress enough how important it is that she is found, or her fate discovered. Moles must know that she is dead or else she robs the Mastership of strength. I am displeased, Terce.”

  Terce’s face betrayed no sign of emotion.

  “I shall see to it.”

  “Aye, you shall. And if Wrekin is alive then Clowder will wish to speak with him.” He paused and for a moment allowed himself to look both weary and disappointed.

  “We shall win no crusades if we are vain...” (and here he looked at Clowder)... “or lax...” (and now his gaze shifted to Terce). Then he turned and left them, and where he had stanced was left the sense of cold silence and threat.

  Terce smiled bleakly.

  “He shall be the greatest Master ever known.”

  “He shall indeed, Tutor Keeper,” said Clowder, “and the Word’s will shall be done.”

  They watched where Lucerne had gone, and Clowder added wryly, “But the way he takes us shall be harder even than the training you gave us.”

  “I know it, and it pleases me,” said Terce.

  When next they saw him Lu
cerne was charming once more, and decisive. He came in the company of Mallice.

  “The rest of the Keepers have been summoned and will assemble shortly. Meanwhile I shall tell you what they shall agree to do.

  “The Keepers and main body of the sideem shall leave for the south in three days. The Word shall guide as to which system will form our new centre.

  “But those new sideem who have already proved themselves worthy to gather information in southern systems to aid our strategy shall go forth as I dictate. They shall return as winter sets in to the new centre we have found and there preparations for our crusade shall be made. Many shall be given their chance of the Word, and non-sideem shall be listened to.

  “Meanwhile we are surprised and displeased that there are moles as near as Ribblesdale who persistently flout the Word. We shall need to make an early example that allmole knows the Word is not to be taken in vain, or ignored, or mocked, and that its representatives are to be obeyed. Accordingly, Clowder, you shall go to Ribblesdale immediately and destroy utterly this rebel system of Mallerstang. Such an exercise will give cause for Ginnell to respect you when you rejoin us further south and meet him. I know you will not fail, but I wish that destruction to be on such a scale, and in such a manner, that when news of it is known nomole who hears it shall doubt the power of the Word, or that it shall take vengeance on those who turn their snout from it. It shall be an example for other zealots to follow. Do you understand?”

  “They shall be destroyed in a way that all that hear of it will not forget it, nor doubt the Word’s power for just retribution,” said Clowder. Nomole who saw his eyes glinting and his fur bristling, and the way his huge talons tore restlessly at the soil in front of him could doubt it would be so.

  “Mallice, I have a different task for you: Beechenhill. Send out spies to discover its weaknesses. When the time comes to destroy it I would have it done well, very well. But that time is not yet. It shall be after we have gone south and when this Squeezebelly will have decided that we prefer to leave well alone. Discover what you can of the place and the moles within it.”