Chapter 32 Chapter Twenty Seven

Ninth Prayer The Cardinal of Pogito arrives at the Abbey with Bernard Gouy and the others from Avignon, and then everyone does something different People who have known each other for a while, and people who don't know each other but have heard each other's name, greet each other kindly in the courtyard.Bishop Bertrand of Poggito stood at the Abbot's side, acting like a man accustomed to power, as if he were a second pope himself, showing sincerity to everyone—especially Friar Menoret. Smiling, arguing about the proceedings of the next day's meeting, and expressing John XXII's hope for tranquility and goodwill (he deliberately used this statement to express his closeness to Franciscan Friar).

When William kindly introduced me as his scribe and student, he said to me, "Excellent." Then he asked me if I knew Bologna, and praised its beauty, its delicious food and its world-renowned university, and invited me to visit that city, so as not to return to Germany one day with nothing in mind, to be with "Germany who made our Pope suffer."Then he held out his hand for me to kiss his ring, and he gave that same old smile again. My attention was at once turned to the man whom they had been talking about lately: Bernard Guilloni; that's what the French call him, and Bernard Guironi elsewhere.

He was a monk of St. Domino, seventy years old, and tall and thin.His gray eyes were so bright that I thought they often had an ambiguous gleam, shrewdly concealing thoughts and passions that were deliberately revealed. When everyone was exchanging greetings, he was not as enthusiastic as others, but just kept polite.When he saw Ubertino, whom he had known, he was very humble, but his eyes gave me a tremor of uneasiness.As he greeted Michael of Chezna with an enigmatic smile, he said nonchalantly, "You've been waiting a while." I could hear no hint of wistfulness or sarcasm in his words. , if it is not an order, it is an expression of interest.He met William, and when he knew who he was, he gazed at him with polite hostility, and I'm sure it wasn't his expression that betrayed hidden emotions, but that he was deliberately trying to make William feel his hostility.William returned his hostility with exaggerated enthusiasm and a smile, saying: "I have long admired your name. Your reputation has been my admonishment, and it has also influenced many important decisions in my life." , this is indeed a compliment, even flattery.But Bernard knew very well that one of the most important decisions in William's life was to give up his position as a magistrate.According to my speculation, if William is happy to see Bernard go to jail, Bernard must be happy to see William die in an accident.Since Bernard was then in command of the armed guards, I was a little apprehensive for William's life.

The abbot must have told Bernard about the crimes in the monastery these past few days.In fact, Bernard pretended not to hear the thorn in William's words, and said: "Because of the director's request, and in order to fulfill my task for the successful conclusion of this agreement, it seems that I must intervene in some A lamentable event that evidently stinks of the devil. I mention it to you because I know that not so long ago, when you and I were on a nearer footing, you, like me, were in the midst of the opposition between the powers of good and evil. struggle in the field."

"True," said William calmly, "but then I joined the other side." Bernard took the blow: "Can you tell me some helpful facts about these crimes?" "Unfortunately, no." William replied humbly, "I don't have as much experience in crime as you do." From that moment on, I lost touch with everyone.William, Michael and Ubertino spoke a few more words, and then retreated to the office.He asked Malachi to find some books for him, but I couldn't catch the titles.Malachi looked at him strangely, but could not refuse his request.Strangely, those books did not need to be searched in the library, they were all on Venantius's desk, and there was no shortage of them.My tutor was immediately immersed in the reading, and I decided not to disturb him.

So I went down to the kitchen and there I saw Bernard Guy.He may want to know the ground division of the monastery, let's walk around.I heard him question the cook and the other servants in the local dialect (don't forget that he was a magistrate in northern Italy).He seemed to be asking for news of the harvest, and the organization of work in the monastery. But even when asking the most mundane question, he gave the other person a hard look, then popped another question that left his victim pale and faltering.I deduced that he was conducting an investigation in a unique way, using the weapons each Inquisitor possessed, the fear of others - to further his work.For every one when questioned, for fear of being suspected, usually tells the interrogator all that they know, so that he may be suspicious of others.

That afternoon, wandering around the monastery, I watched Bernard go about his investigations in this way, whether in the mill or in the cloister, but he almost never questioned the monks, only the servants or the peasants.So far, it's been the exact opposite of William's strategy.