Historical setting: Sixth Century Bordeaux
Nic and I are spreading our fleeces in the stable loft near the construction of a new basilica in Bordeaux and from here we can overhear the conversation between two of the workers who are looking over the stone sculpture still in the cart just outside.
“Do you know, Kairn, I just had a terrible thought. Look at that thing closely for the chisel marks. Go ahead, examine it, even search the hidden places.”
“It lacks symmetry. But there are no chisel marks. It’s perfect workmanship.”
“Exactly. And don’t we already know the hand of this artisan?”
“Oh, your not thinking its…”
“… he’s back to taunt us, the small but mighty, August! Do you suppose Papa found him and ordered this work?”
“Did you see who brought it here?”
“It was two monks leading the ox with the two horsemen riding guard as though there were great value in a piece of stone.”
At this point, Nic has strapped on his sword and gone down the ladder from the loft to encounter these art critics.
“Hello fellows. I was in right here at the stable and I heard you talking about this art. I’m the patron who purchased it.”
“We just wanted to know who the artist was.”
“Yes, I heard you talking about it. To answer your concern, it was purchased from a marketplace for sacred Pagan and Christian works of art. And you will surely be pleased to know it isn’t intended for this basilica. It is meant to be a gift to inspire the scribes and artists working in the inks who have vowed poverty as seen in the face of this woman. It’s being transported to a monastery near Poitiers where the literate monks will appreciate this most as they are busy copying scriptures.”
The one of these two called Kairn asks, “So who made this?”
“Why do you ask?”
“We had a brother who is gone now. Our parents grieve for him.”
The other brother adds, “We aren’t grieving though.”
Kairn interrupts, “I know it’s against God to speak ill of ones brother. So what Shollo means is…”
Shollo adds his own words, “What I’m saying is we are much better off now that he is gone. And we hope he stays gone.”
“What Shollo means is our father put that older brother in charge and he was a hard taskmaster.”
“What Kairn means is that August, your artist here, was a very smart…shall I say, donkey. And we really don’t miss him.”
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 