Chapter 7 Chapter two

morning worship An enlightening conversation between William and the Dean The steward was stocky and stocky, with a vulgar but cheerful face, gray-haired but fit, short and quick.He led us to our room at the Pilgrim's Guest House—or should I say, he led us to the room allotted to William.He also promised me that he would vacate another room for me before tomorrow, because although I was still a novice monk, I was still their guest and deserved to be treated respectfully.As for the night, I was wronged to sleep in the long wide alcove in the room, on which he had spread a layer of clean straw.

Then the monks brought us wine, cheese, olives, bread, and delicious raisins, and left the room to let us rest.We ate with relish and drank some wine.My mentor was not in the St. Benedictine habit of eating in silence.On this point he always speaks words of wisdom, as if a monk were explaining to us the lives of the saints. I couldn't avoid asking him about the horse again that day. "After all," I said, "you don't know the horse Brunales when you see the evidence of footprints and branches in the snow. Those marks could have been left by any horse, at least A horse of its breed. Shall we say, then, that the books of nature speak to us only of the essence, as so many eminent theologians have taught?"

"Not quite, my dear Adso," replied my mentor, "yes, those marks showed me the existence of the 'horse' and where I might find it. But at that moment the footprints in that place, And let me know that at least one horse has been there. So I am between the concept of 'horse' and the cognition of 'a horse'. Moreover, what those traces give me is unique. I I could say that I was then between the uniqueness of the trace and my ignorance; what my ignorance took and believed in was the form of a general concept. If you look at something from a distance, you cannot see what it is When you get closer, you deduce that it is a livestock, although you don't know whether it is a horse or a mule. Then when you get closer, you can be sure it's a horse, even though you don't know it's Brunelles or Niggle yet. You don't know it's Brunelles (or, the a horse and not another horse, whatever you decide to call it.) Then you know all about the individual.

"So an hour ago I had the concept of 'horse', not because of my broad mind, but because of my little deduction. My intellectual pursuit was not satisfied until I saw the horse drawn by the monks .It was then that I really knew that my reasoning was so close to the truth that the idea I used to imagine a horse I hadn't seen was but a sign, just as hooves in the snow are signs of 'horses'; We use signs, and signs of signs, when we lack evidence." Many a time I heard him speak, in a very skeptical tone, of general concepts as well as of particular objects; I afterwards thought that his inclination was due to his simultaneous being an Englishman and a Franciscan friar.But he didn't have the strength to face another theological argument that day, so I climbed into the alcove, rolled up a blanket, and fell asleep.

Anyone walking into the room could have mistaken me for a package.Towards the morning service, when the Abbot came to visit William, there must have been such a misunderstanding; so I was able to listen to their first conversation without being noticed. Dean Abo is here.He apologized for his sudden arrival, repeated his welcome, and said that he had to discuss a very serious matter with William in private. He begins by thanking his guest for his help in finding his lost horse, and asks William how he knows so much about a beast he has never seen.William explained his reasoning to him lightly.The abbot could not help admiring his shrewdness, and said that William's reputation for resourcefulness was well deserved.He said that in letters written to him from the Abbess of Varfa Abbey, he spoke not only of William's mission under the Emperor's order (they will discuss it further in the next few days), but also of my mentor's responsibilities in England and Italy. Judge of several trials, he was unanimously admired for his insight and humility. ※Bandhammer School & E-Book of Fine School※

"I am glad to learn that you have ruled the accused innocent in a number of cases," continued the Abbot. "I believe that demons are often present in the world, especially in these sad days—" He looked around involuntarily, It's as if the enemy is lurking in this room," but I also believe he acts through people's vices. I know he can drive his victims to do bad things, make good people blame, and when good people are wronged, the devil gets his way Yes. Usually, in order to show their enthusiasm, judges always ask the defendant to confess at any cost, thinking that they can find a scapegoat so that the trial can end, and a good judge..."

"An Inquisitor can also be driven by demons," William said. "It is indeed possible," the dean agreed cautiously, "because no one can guess God's design, and I dare not have the slightest doubt about these venerable people. In fact, I need your referee today. In There is something going on in this monastery that requires a mind as shrewd as yours to wrestle with, to detect shrewdly, and (if necessary) to cover up prudently. If a shepherd makes a mistake, he and the others must be let The shepherd is isolated. But it would be sad if the sheep had started to mistrust the shepherd."

William said, "I see your argument." From my usual observations, I've learned that when he makes his point so quickly and politely, he usually hides his disapproval or bewilderment. "For this reason," the abbot went on, "I think that any case concerning the error of the shepherds should be entrusted to a man like you; It's not appropriate. I think, if you want to pronounce a sentence, you must only..." "...the defendant committed poison, murdered innocents, or other crimes I dare not speak of..." ". . . only when the demon's presence is so evident," the Abbot went on, ignoring William's interjection, "that it makes kindness more shameful than crime."

"I consider a man guilty only when he has committed a crime so grave," William explained, "that it seems to me that a worldly punishment is really warranted against him." The dean was a little confused for a moment: "Why do you insist on talking about crimes, but don't mention their evil elements?" "Because it is very difficult to explain the cause and effect clearly. I believe that only God can judge. The relationship between a charred tree and the lightning that caused it to burn is difficult to establish. So sometimes I want to explore the relationship between cause and effect. It seems to me as foolish as trying to build a tower that reaches the sky.

"We assume that a person has been poisoned. It is a fait accompli, and in the face of many undeniable signs, I may imagine the poisoned person. Under such a simple chain of motives, my mind can operate with great confidence. .But how can I complicate this chain, imagine that there is another cause of this crime, not of man, but of demons? I don't mean that it is impossible: with your horse blue Take Nares as an example, the devil also showed his way in those obvious signs. But why do I have to look for these proofs? Knowing the crimes of that person and handing him over to the secular judge is not enough Is it? In any case his punishment will be death, God forgive him."

"But I have heard that in a trial in Kilkenny three years ago, when certain persons were accused of a shameful crime, and the culprit was pointed out, you did not deny the intervention of the devil." "But I haven't publicly confirmed it either. Yes, I haven't denied it. I'm going to explain to whom the judgment of the devil's conspiracy, especially—" he said rather firmly, "in those who brought about the Inquisition— In a case where the bishop, the justice of the peace, the general public, even the defendant himself - really wanted to feel the presence of the devil? In that case, perhaps the only real and only proof that the devil existed was when everyone was eager to feel the presence of the devil. Know the desire of the devil at work..." "Do you mean," said the Abbot, in a worried tone, "that in many trials the devil was active not only in the inner workings of the crime, but perhaps also in the judges?" "Can I say such a thing?" William asked, and I noticed that his ambiguous question made the dean unsure whether he could answer, so his silence gave William the opportunity to change the subject, "but these are distant things after all. I have renounced that noble activity, which I took upon myself only because God wished that . . . " "Without a doubt," the dean agreed. ※Bandhammer School & E-Book of Fine School※ "... Now," William continued, "I have another question. I wish to hear what troubles you, if you will explain it to me." I think the dean has long been eager to end the discussion and get back to his problem.He chose his words carefully, and began to describe an unusual event that had occurred a few days earlier and how it had troubled the monks.He said that the reason why he talked about this matter to William was because William had a deep understanding of the human mind and the tricks of demons, and he hoped that his guests would dedicate a little precious time to this mysterious event. Bring a glimmer of light.It happened like this: Friar Adelmo of Otranto, although still very young, had already gained a reputation for embellishing books.While he was busy with the work of adorning the library manuscripts with the most beautiful designs, a shepherd found his body one morning at the bottom of the cliff below the cathedral.Since other monks had seen him during vespers the night before, but he did not participate in morning prayers, he probably fell off the cliff at the darkest hour of the night.There was a snowstorm that night, and under the violent south wind, the flying snowflakes were as sharp as a knife, like hail.The bodies were buried in the snow and ice at the foot of the cliffs and torn horribly by the rocks crashing along the road.Poor, frail mortals, it's a pity.It was not easy to determine where it had fallen, as the body was bruised from its fall, but it was evident that it had fallen through one of the windows of the three-story tower facing the abyss. William asked: "Where did you bury that poor man?" "It's in the cemetery, of course," replied the dean. "Perhaps you noticed, it's just to the north of the chapel, between the cathedral and the vegetable garden." "I see," said William. "I suppose your problem is this. If the unfortunate young man had committed suicide, you'd find one of the windows open the next day, but you'd find none of the windows. It's well shut, and there's no sign of water below." As I said, the dean is usually calm and self-possessed, hiding his secrets.But Dean Abo was taken aback when he heard the words, and lost the demeanor that a person as dignified as him should have: "Who told you?" "You told me," said William, "that if the windows were open, you would at once think he had jumped out of them himself. From the outside, I knew the windows were large opaque panes, and in the In such a large building, the glass windows are usually not opened at the height of ordinary people; therefore, even if there is a window open, it is impossible for the unfortunate person to fall. Suicide is a speculative explanation. Then you wouldn't allow him to be buried in sacred ground. "But since you gave him a Christian funeral, the windows must be shut. The windows are shut—for I never heard of a dead man crawling out of the chasm to wipe away the evidence of his crime, even if The same is true in witchcraft trials—then obviously the suicidal surmise cannot be established, but is instead replaced by mortal hand or demonic force. "What you can't imagine is who could - let alone push him into the abyss - lift him up to the ledge; for an evil force, be it natural or supernatural, has infiltrated Abbey. So you are very distressed." "Exactly..." said the Dean, whether he confirmed William's conclusion or accepted William's theory with admiration, "but how do you know there is no water under the window?" "Because you told me that there was a southerly wind that night, and it was impossible for the snow to hit the east-facing windows." "It seems that their praise for you is definitely not flattering words." The dean praised, "You are right, there is no water under the window, and now I finally know why. As you said, you also understand My worries are gone. If one of my monks had polluted his soul with the crime of suicide, it would be serious enough, but I have reason to believe that another monk has polluted himself with the same terrible sin. If so..." "Why do you say a monk? There are many others in the monastery; grooms, shepherds, servants . . . " "To be precise, this monastery is small and rich," said the abbot rather proudly. "There are one hundred and fifty servants serving sixty monks. But this happened in the cathedral. Perhaps you already know Yes, although the first floor there is the kitchen and dining room, the second and third floors are office rooms and libraries. After dinner, the cathedral is locked, and we have strict regulations that prohibit anyone from entering." He guessed When it came to William's next question, although he was a bit reluctant, he immediately added, "Of course, monks are also included, but..." "but what?" "But I categorically deny—resolutely, you understand—the possibility of a servant daring to sneak in there at night." There was a defiant smile in his eyes, fleeting like a spark or a meteor, "Maybe Say they're scared, you know... Sometimes orders given to simple minds have to be supplemented with a threat of danger to the disobedient, underscored by supernatural powers. Conversely, a monk... ..." "I understand." "Also, a monk would have other reasons to venture into forbidden areas, I mean...reasonable reasons, even if it's against the rules..." Noticing the Abbot's uneasiness, William asked a question; perhaps intending to change the subject, he only made the Abbot more uneasy. "Speaking of the possibility of murder, what did you mean when you said 'if so'? " "Did I say that? Well, murder must have a motive, however eccentric and wrong. I shudder to think that a monk should have such an evil reason for killing his fellow man. That's it." "Is there nothing else?" "All I can tell you has been said." "You mean, there are some things you can't tell me?" "Don't say that, Brother William, Brother William." The dean emphasized "brother" twice. William blushed suddenly, and said, "May this brother go to eternity." "Thank you," said the dean. Oh, God, what was said by the two of them at that time was very mysterious, the one worried and the other driven by curiosity.Because, although I am young and humble, just a novice who has just come into contact with the sacrament of God's clergy, I also understand that the abbot still knows some things, but he can't say it because he has promised to keep the secret.He must have heard with his own ears someone the details of the sin, which had something to do with Adelmo's tragic death.Perhaps it was for this reason that he begged Brother William to reveal a secret which he himself suspected, though he could not reveal to anyone--he wished my master, with great knowledge, to reveal to him what the laws of mercy he himself had to conceal. Facts revealed. "Okay," said William, "may I ask the monks a question?" "OK." "Can I come and go freely in the monastery?" "I allow you to have this power." "Will you openly assign me this task in front of the monks?" "Just tonight." ※Ballet Hammer School & E-Book of Fine School※ "However, before the monks know the mission you have given me, it will start today. Besides, I would have liked to visit your library, which is so admired by every monastery in Christendom." The dean stood up suddenly, with a nervous expression on his face: "As I said, you can move freely in the entire monastery, but you can only go to the library on the top floor of the cathedral." "why?" "I should have explained it to you earlier, but I thought you knew. Our library is different from the ones in other monasteries..." "I know that there are more books there than in any other library in the church. I know that whether it is Bobbio, Pomposa, Clooney or Fleury, it is as good as yours. I know that the 6,000 manuscripts of ancient books that Novalisa was proud of more than a hundred years ago can’t be compared with your court, and maybe many of them are stored here now. I know that only your court can resist The 36 libraries in Baghdad are against the 10,000 ancient books of Al-Kami, and the "Bible" classics in your house are definitely not inferior to the 2,400 "Koran" that Cairo is proud of. Many years ago, the pagans declared The library of Tripoli has a collection of six million volumes, with 80,000 annotators and two hundred scribes stationed in the library, but the collection of your court is comparable to it.” "Praise God, you are right." "I know that many of your monks here come from other monasteries around the world. Some stay here only for a while, copying manuscripts that are not found anywhere else, and taking them back to their monastery, they will also bring other precious In exchange for the manuscripts, you will copy them, so that the treasures of your house will increase day by day; others will stay here for a long time, and occasionally people will live here until they die, because only here can they find and study. Books about it. So there are monks in your house from Germany, Dhaka, Spain, France and Greece. I know that many years ago, Frederick the Great asked your house to compile for him a book of Merlin's prophecy. , and then translated it into Arabic, as a gift to the Sultan of Egypt. Finally, I know that in this sad age, a monastery as prestigious as Murbach no longer has half a scribe, and in St. There are only a few monks who still know how to write, and in the municipalities and guilds, and in the universities are all mortals, only the status of your house is still improving day by day, and its reputation is getting better..." "...our status," the dean added thoughtfully, "is increasing day by day through the double efforts of work and prayer, and people all over the world gradually know that we are a treasure house of knowledge. Ancient books that threaten to disappear, encourage new works, increase old ones... Oh, you know, we are in very dark times. Let me tell you that it was only a few years ago that the Congress of Vienna reiterated that every monk has Obligation to priesthood... How many monasteries, solemn and sacred two hundred years ago, are now sanctuaries for the lazy? The power of the Franciscan order remains, but the rot of the cities eats away at our holy places, people of God Now tends to commerce and faction; on that reservation the Holy Spirit has no place to rest, and they not only speak vulgar language, but write in it, (what can one expect from mortals?) Although These books will never flow within our walls—they will inevitably become instruments of heresy! The whole world is on the brink of an abyss and is in danger because of the crimes of mankind. Tomorrow, as Honorius Roman Emperor, 384-423) said that people's bodies will be smaller than ours now, just as our bodies are smaller than those of former people. If God has given us priests a task, it is to preserve, to extol The treasure of wisdom entrusted to us by our ancestors to lead people out of the abyss. At the beginning of the world, the earthly government was in the east, and the gods ordered them to gradually move to the west as the time progressed closer and closer. When the end of the world is about to Warn us at the coming time, for the course of things is approaching the limits of the universe. But until the millennial beatitude arrives, before the final victory, we must defend the treasures of Christendom, and the word of God; which he himself told the prophets and apostles , the ancestors recited word for word. The school has always tried to shed light on these words; even today, the school is haunted by the serpents of pride, envy, and folly. In this twilight time, we still stand in the Torches and lights on the horizon, as long as these walls don't fall, we'll all be protectors of God's promise." "Amen," said William reverently, "but what does that have to do with my not being able to visit the library?" "It is so, Brother William," said the Abbess, "in order to fulfill the sacred mission of enriching the library here—" He looked out of the window of the room at the cathedral which stood beside the chapel, and nodded, " For centuries, pious people have worked tirelessly in accordance with iron discipline. The design of the library is like a maze. After all these centuries, no one has figured it out, and neither do the monks. Only the library The clerk learned the secret from the former custodian, and while he was alive, he would pass it on to the assistant custodian, lest he take it with him in case of sudden death. They personally kept it secret, It will never be revealed. And only the librarian has the right to walk in that maze of books, know where to find the books and where to put them back, and he alone is responsible for the preservation of the books. The other monks They all work in the office and know the list of books in the library. "But a book title alone is very limited evidence; only the curator can know what is contained in the book by the arrangement of the books, by their degree of difficulty. Only he can decide how, when and whether it should Lend books to monks who ask for them; sometimes he will consult with me first. For not all truths are fit to tell everyone, and a pious heart cannot discern all falsities; moreover, in the office The working monks are all in order to practice a task, and so must read specific books, rather than pursue their every foolish curiosity, whether it be the need for knowledge, or self-esteem, or the temptation of demons." "So, there are also books with false contents in the library..." "Demons exist because they are part of God's plan, and in these rare features of demons, the power of the Creator is also revealed. According to God's plan, the writings of wizards, the Jewish occult, the parables of the pagan poets, the pagan poets The lies of the religious, etc., also exist. Those who founded the monastery, and maintained it for centuries, believed that even in false books, as long as it is to the wise reader, the gods will still shine. Therefore, there are all kinds of books in the library. But for this reason, you understand, it cannot be opened to anyone casually. Moreover," the dean seemed to be troubled by the last sentence that was not speechless. Apologizing, he said, "Books are very fragile things. Time will rot it, mice will gnaw at it, the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind will corrode it, and clumsy hands will damage it. If hundreds of years In the past, everyone can browse our ancient books at will. I am afraid that most of these books no longer exist. Therefore, the librarian protects books, not only not to borrow people casually, but also to prevent natural disasters. He will dedicate his life to his duties, but after death Silently and anonymously." "Therefore no one can go to the top floor of the cathedral except the chief and deputy administrators..." The dean smiled: "No one should or can go, even if he wishes, no one will succeed. The library's collection of books is unpredictable, and books with false contents may deceive people, which constitutes a defense in itself. It is a spiritual labyrinth, and it is also a secular labyrinth, you may not be able to get out after entering it. I have said so much, I only hope that you can abide by the rules of the monastery." "But you haven't ruled out the possibility that Adelmo might have fallen from a window in the library to the bottom of the cliff. How can I reason about his death if I can't see what may have been the original place of his death? " "Brother William," said the Abbot in a soothing tone, "a man who has never seen my horse, Brunelles, can describe him in detail, and can describe Adelmo's death almost without knowing it. What difficulty does a man have in imagining places he has not been to?" William bent over and bowed: "Although you are strict, you are also very sensible. I just follow your wishes." "If I am wise, it is because I know how to be severe," replied the Abbot. "One more thing," William asked, "where's Ubertino?" "Here he is, he is waiting for you, and you will find him in the chapel." "When?" ※Ballet Hammer School & E-Book of Fine School※ "Anytime!" said the Abbot, smiling. "You must know that, though he is a learned man, he doesn't like libraries very much. He thinks they are worldly temptations. . . . He spends most of his time in the church here, meditate, pray..." "Is he old?" William asked hesitantly. "How long has it been since you saw him?" "Many years." "He is frail and distant from the world. He is sixty-eight, but I believe he still has the spirit of his youth." "I'll go to him right away. Thank you." The abbot asked him if he would like to have lunch with the monastery after sixth o'clock prayers.William said that he had just eaten and was very full, so he thought it would be better to go to Ubertino immediately.The dean bid farewell and left. As soon as he stepped out of the door, there was a miserable cry from the courtyard, as if someone had been hurt, and it was answered by other calls of the same pain. William asked in confusion, "What is that?" The dean smiled and replied: "It's nothing. They have to kill pigs at this time of year. That's the job of pig farmers. You shouldn't be interested in this matter." He went out and did something that hurt his reputation as a wise man.Because the next morning...but hold back your impatience and my chatter for now.For before the night of the day which I am now describing, many things happened which must be mentioned.