The Apothecary's Secret

by Johanna Geiges

  Anna had to take a deep breath after reading the letter. With this letter the identity of Brother Thomas had been wiped out at a single stroke. What could he have done to draw down on himself the worst of all church punishments? Excommunicatio latae sententiae could mean several things. Once he woke up and his head was reasonably clear, she would have to tell him that she had read the letter and knew his secret.

  But the letter also told Anna that Brother Thomas had been an infirmarius, a monastic specialist in all things to do with disease and treatments.

  What a coincidence!

  A coincidence? No, maybe not. That’s why he had probably gone looking for her. He wanted to find out more about her reputation as a miracle healer. But did he do this on his own initiative, or on behalf of some higher authority? But what churchman would commission Brother Thomas after he had been excommunicated? Something did not quite make sense. It just didn’t all add up.

  Carefully Anna put everything back into the monk’s satchel, everything except the letter. How had he managed to get hold of the letter? Well, once he was awake, only the renegade monk could answer these questions, if he were willing. She could not force him. Though whether he would ever speak to her again after having made the acquaintance of the sleep sponge was another matter.

  Gero had been racking his brains all the way back to Landskron Castle – not about Anna of Ahrweiler who had been transformed from a monk into a medica through some witchcraft, but about how he should inform his Uncle Konrad von Hochstaden about this without leaving his post at the castle. The carrier pigeons were back in their home loft at Hochstaden Castle as Lutz and Oswald had taken them there on their return from Oppenheim. It looked as if he himself would have to ride to his uncle to bring him the news of the resurrection of Brother Marian in the body of a young woman.

  But the fundamental problem was how Gero would explain a weeklong absence from Landskron Castle and his archers. Hochstaden Castle was more than a three days’ ride away, and even Heisterbach Monastery, where the archbishop often stayed, was at least two.

  While Gero was still pondering how to avoid being expelled forever from Landskron Castle as a deserter, he met Lutz riding down the winding path from the castle.

  ‘The chaplain told me that I would find you in town,’ Lutz called from afar, grinning as he saw Gero toiling up the steep path.

  ‘What’s the matter with you?’ Lutz asked. ‘Have you joined the foot soldiers?’

  But Gero did not feel like joking. ‘I have a quick way to get rid of your silly jokes,’ he replied. ‘What brings you here?’

  ‘Bad news,’ said Lutz seriously as he dismounted to walk beside Gero. ‘Your mother has sent me to say your father wants to see you.’

  ‘My father? Surely he knows that I cannot leave as long as my uncle wants me here in Landskron Castle.’

  ‘Gero,’ Lutz said and put his hand on his companion’s shoulder. ‘You must come. Your father is dying.’

  For a brief moment Gero stood still. So it was happening at last . . . Very soon he would inherit everything. The news did not produce strong feelings in him, as he had never been very close to his father. But he did not hesitate for long, and ordered Lutz to wait outside the city gate. ‘I’ll get my horse and join you there,’ he said as he sped on up the hill and reached the castle gate panting and sweating.

  He went immediately to the stables and asked the castle captain for leave of absence. Given the circumstances, it was granted without question and so, accompanied by Lutz, Gero began the long journey home to Hochstaden Castle.

  Chapter V

  Brother Thomas, who was still lying on the treatment table, blinked cautiously and started to moan. He touched his head. Anna guessed that he was sure to have a ferocious headache, which was one of the after-effects of the sleep sponge that was particularly bad if a strong dose had been administered. Added to it was nausea, and a dry mouth along with an almighty thirst as if one had fasted for forty days in the desert like The Lord. All in all, she thought, it seemed a just punishment for Brother Thomas who tried to find her guilty of quackery.

  She sat opposite him, playing with a stone the size of a fist which she provocatively threw into the air and caught again. While the monk was asleep she thought about whether she should put into action an idea that had come to her after reading the letter. Anna had a sense that heaven had sent her this renegade monk, and she wondered if she could trust him . . .

  Then she reached a decision. Even though it was delicate to ask him this question, she would risk it.

  Moaning and groaning, Brother Thomas pushed himself up from the table. He looked at Anna with narrowed eyes as if he wasn’t sure if he was having a vision.

  ‘Well, are you well rested, Brother Thomas?’ she asked, smiling sweetly. As he regained his senses, he swallowed and asked, croaking: ‘How long have I been in the land of dreams whence you sent me?’

  ‘Approximately three hours,’ she replied brightly.

  ‘Three hours!’ That can’t be true, never. What have you done to my head?!’ he moaned, rubbing his forehead with both hands. Then he pointed to the stone which Anna was still juggling.

  ‘What have you got there?’ he asked.

  ‘Three guesses! Might this not be the stone which I have cut from your ignorant skull, Brother Thomas?’ she asked cheerfully and tossed the rock in his direction. He managed to catch it with his right hand and study it while with his left he searched his poll for a wound in vain.

  ‘It’s enough that you forced me into the arms of Morpheus. You don’t need to make a fool of me on top of that,’ he said, insulted, and climbed off the treatment table. He stood there rather insecure and unstable.

  ‘The laugh is always on the loser,’ Anna hinted.

  He shrugged his shoulders.

  ‘You have had your revenge, I think,’ he sighed. ‘Do I at least get a sip to drink before I take my leave, medica?’

  Anna nodded to Berbelin who had been waiting in the corner of the treatment room and who now handed him a full pitcher.

  ‘What is this – beer or water?’ he asked her and at the same time gestured apologetically. ‘Sorry, I forget for a moment that you are not able to speak. Here, give it to me . . .’

  He grabbed the pitcher, smelled its contents briefly and drank in great greedy gulps. Then, without hesitating, he poured what remained of the water over his head and snorting and breathing heavily he handed the empty vessel back to Berbelin.

  ‘Now I feel better,’ he said and looked at Anna.

  Anna was still sitting on her stool, and Berbelin put down the pitcher and folded her arms over her apron.

  ‘I think you owe me a few explanations,’ Anna said at last.

  ‘How could that be?’ said Brother Thomas as he laughed and shook his head. ‘After all, you must now know everything about me or did you not root around among my possessions after you put me to sleep? By the way, you must tell me what the sponge was dipped in. I have indeed heard of such things, but didn’t realise that the effect is so devilishly good and fast!’

  ‘Be careful, Brother Thomas, of using the name of Lucifer so carelessly!’ Anna said mockingly.

  Brother Thomas first stared at her in disbelief and then he started to laugh so uncontrollably that he had to sit down on a stool and hold his belly till he stopped exhausted. Anna and Berbelin remained impassive.

  ‘Forgive me but you really are unbelievable. Truly one has to be careful as far as you are concerned. The castle chaplain was right, damn it!’ Immediately, with a pained expression, he raised his eyes to heaven making the sign of the cross. ‘Mea culpa, Domine, mea culpa!’ he lamented. ‘That just slipped out, oh my lord! It won’t happen again!’

  Anna was puzzled by the strange behaviour of the Benedictine monk, but one thing had caught her attention.

  ‘The castle chaplain, did you say? Did he send you to me?’ she asked.

  ‘Well, I did talk to him as a monk to his chaplain, because I h
ad heard about you. I did not want to base my judgement purely on tavern-gossip but wanted to hear from a clergyman of standing what he knew and thought about you.’

  ‘And what was his verdict?’

  ‘Should I be honest? Not particularly flattering. He has accused you of witchcraft.’

  ‘And did you believe him?’

  ‘With respect, medica, the castle chaplain is a cunning schemer, that much knowledge of human nature I do have. But I wanted to find out for myself, and so ended up stretched out on your table.’

  ‘And what now? Do you want to report me for witchcraft?’

  Brother Thomas sighed and turned to Berbelin. ‘Tell me, could you possibly bring me a mouthful of beer? I fear that this will be a long conversation and my throat is already parched again.’

  Berbelin looked enquiringly at her mistress and when she nodded, Berbelin disappeared with the pitcher.

  Brother Thomas began seriously: ‘What I believe or more accurately what I do not believe is not that we will go either to Hell or to Heaven, but that we are already living in Hell. And the only thing we can do is to join with those who don’t make things worse than they already are.’

  ‘If you really believe that, it truly is heresy, Brother Thomas, and could cost you your head.’

  ‘Or I could end up at the stake, I know. That’s exactly what my abbot said . . . Ah – at last!’ he beamed as Berbelin entered with a full pitcher. He poured himself a cup, emptied it in one huge gulp and refilled it straight away.

  ‘Well,’ he said, satisfied. ‘Now we can continue our theological discussion. Where did we get to? Oh yes, I wanted to tell you that this particular insight led me so often into long arguments with the abbot, that in the end he excommunicated me and expelled me from the monastery. Since then I have been travelling through the realm trying to prevent the general lawlessness spreading any further. I know I cannot accomplish much, but I will do whatever is within my limited powers to accomplish my mission.’

  ‘Which is?’ Anna asked.

  ‘To put a stop to all charlatans, miracle healers and quacks who go around deceiving people and taking their money.’

  Again he emptied his cup in a single gulp.

  Anna sensed that he was serious. She could feel his deep despair even though he tried to cover it with his grumpy manner.

  ‘You have set yourself a big task. And with this . . . mission – why did you want to start with me, of all people?’ Anna wanted to know.

  ‘Oh, don’t be under any illusion. You are not the first; I have taught manners to many a hypocrite who tried to rob simple people of their money. I find nothing more offensive than to cheat somebody who is already hard up, or ill, or both. I owe that much to my former vocation; after all I used to be an infirmarius – that much you would have gleaned from the letter to my abbot.’

  ‘What letter?’ Anna asked innocently.

  Brother Thomas shook his head. ‘Despite appearances to the contrary I am not a fool. I would have to be very much mistaken if you hadn’t searched through my things during my . . . brief mental absence. Isn’t that so?’ he said looking at her questioningly.

  Anna shrugged her shoulders.

  ‘I would have done likewise,’ he added before taking another slug of beer. Then he suddenly put out his hand. ‘By the way – may I have the letter back? You don’t need it and for me it is a permanent admonition and reminder of my former life. Even if it is a painful one.’

  He continued to hold out his hand.

  Anna hesitated but eventually handed him back the letter.

  He put it inside his habit.

  ‘Thank you. It was not easy to . . . well . . . get my hands on it,’ he said.

  ‘You stole it, didn’t you?’

  ‘You could call it that. O lord, forgive your fallible servant!’

  He made the sign of the cross again, casting a brief glance Heavenwards. ‘But I do think I have a right to own it.’

  He looked at her candidly. ‘Well, I have poured out my heart to you. Accept it as my apology for falsely suspecting you of robbing people with the trickery of a conjurer.’

  ‘What would you have done to me if that had been the case?’

  ‘I would have put a stop to your game. That would not have been difficult; after all you are nothing but a young woman alone except for a maid who happens to be dumb!’

  ‘I am under the count’s personal protection. One word from me and you would end up in his dungeons.’

  ‘Oh, I did not know that. Well, I would have seriously burnt my fingers. And now I understand why the castle chaplain hasn’t moved against you yet.’

  ‘Is that what he plans to do?’

  ‘Yes, definitely, I think. He is just waiting for an opportunity.’

  ‘You are not the first to warn me about the chaplain.’

  ‘And who then was the first?’

  ‘The king himself. Conrad IV.’

  ‘Conrad the child?’’

  ‘The very one. A wise young man.’

  ‘How come you are conversing with the king? You are beginning to sound rather scary.’

  ‘The same way I came to be a medica. It is a long story.’

  ‘I can well believe it. Is it as long as my story?’

  ‘More or less.’

  Brother Thomas folded his arms and looked at Anna, sizing her up from head to toe.

  ‘I do not mean to insult you, don’t get me wrong. You are a strong-willed young woman, still a girl almost. Yet you have managed to get further than I would ever have thought possible for a woman. I don’t even want to know how you managed that without magical tricks. But I can assure you that I hold you in the highest esteem. However,’ he hesitated, ‘you’d want to be mad to think that you could continue like this forever entirely without male support, even if you have sponsors and protectors as elevated as the king or the count. You will have to mind yourself, medica; I only wish the best for you because I am impressed by you.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Anna sighing audibly. ‘But tell me, what do you actually live on?’

  ‘I live on alms and from treating the occasional injury or stomach cramp and I’d like you to know that I am better at extracting teeth than any barber.’

  ‘So you are still working as an infirmarius?’

  ‘No, you could hardly call it that. I just help occasionally wherever help is needed, that’s all.’

  ‘So you are free to do as you please?’

  ‘Yes, as long as I can reconcile it with my mission, or for as long as I can escape the pillory. I’m in for it when my whole story becomes known. But up to now the Lord has granted me a reprieve, and he alone knows how long this favour will last,’ said he fatalistically, making the sign of the cross as he turned to leave.

  Anna watched him as he shuffled with drooping shoulders in the direction of the kitchen where he had left his bag.

  ‘Brother Thomas!’ she called after him.

  He stopped without turning around.

  ‘Brother Thomas – I want to make you an offer!’ Her instinct told her that he was honest and she wanted to trust him.

  Slowly he turned around and looked at her without changing his expression.

  ‘An offer? To me? I’m all ears.’

  ‘Do you want to work for me?’

  He hesitated for a long time and finally asked distrustfully: ‘In what capacity?’

  ‘As Brother Thomas, one-time infirmarius and now assistant to the medica.’

  His expression remained unchanged as Anna continued: ‘I can offer you a roof over your head and you can continue to pursue your mission at my side. I have more patients than I can look after on my own. You may share everything I own, the laboratory, the medicines, the medicinal plants – everything. However, we will have to agree on the healing methods beforehand. But I’m sure we can both still learn from each other. Think about it for a while. As a monk, infirmarius and man, you are a person of authority, and at your side I could
at last feel safe again when I have to make house visits late at night and return home in the dark. That, quite apart from the fact that it would be good to have a man living in the house again to discourage thieves. However, you would have to ignore the gossiping tongues.’

  ‘That wouldn’t worry me. As you know, I have already been excommunicated.’

  ‘Yes, I understand.’

  ‘But if my past becomes known, it’s all over for both of us.’

  ‘Well, then we must not let it become known. Who would learn about it? Weingarten is far away.’

  ‘You are leading me into temptation, medica.’

  ‘No, I am not. It is a business proposition, a good deal for both of us. How about it so? Will you shake hands on it?’

  ‘May I think about it?’

  ‘Yes, why don’t you?’

  He nodded, stepped out and down the hall to the kitchen where he took his bag and turned to the door. He stopped again after two steps and turned to Anna who was leaning expectantly against the door frame of the treatment room. Then he dropped his bag and shrugged his shoulders.

  ‘Do you know what? I am a feeble-minded fool. Perhaps it’s the after-effects of your sleep sponge that’s responsible for it. But seriously, it is impossible to turn down such an offer, not alone for someone in my situation, but also in principle. I do not have to think about it. I will stay here. Where can I leave my things?’

  Anna looked at him for a long time. Then she smiled, eased herself away from the door frame and beckoned. ‘Come with me’, she said walking ahead, ‘I will show you your bed chamber’.

  He called after her: ‘But I am a pugnacious individual and not an easy fellow to have around!’

  Anna did not turn as she replied: ‘Well, then we are a good match. I am just the same. At least there will be some life in the house.’