Chapter 29
Archie
September
Jena
And so it was a late afternoon early in September when I rode back through the gates of Jena. The autumnal equinox was obviously approaching, as the days were growing shorter, the nights were growing longer, and the weather was growing cooler, especially at night. As it was, I was not unhappy to be wearing my buff coat. The weight of it provided a shield from the breeze and a bit of warmth.
I nodded and called back to some of the city watch on the gate duty that day. Heinrich wasn’t there, but I knew he’d hear soon enough that I was back and he’d hunt me down to claim his beer and his stories of what adventures I had had. He might be disappointed this trip, however. I doubted I’d be able to tell him much—not and keep the secret of the codex truly secret.
As it chanced, I was mounted on Cortana that day, and there was something fitting about that, given that it was on his back I had begun this adventure. He knew we were nearing home, and he was prancing a bit, proud to be under me and proud to be who he was. He was sold to me as being a fully mature five-year-old when I bought him seven years ago, so he was fully twelve years old now and in his prime. I could look forward to riding him for at least another six or eight years, and I looked forward to that. I smiled at the forward set of his ears, and patted him on his shoulder.
It wasn’t long before we turned into the alley that led to the small stable yard behind Master Titus’ house. The stable was small as well, with only four stalls. We didn’t keep horses there full time—only for a few hours, or overnight at most. Master Titus had arrangements with a large stable operation near the train station, and that’s where my lads would be returning before too long. But for now, they’d be fine here.
I drew Cortana to a halt, with Maus stopping a step behind as always, and swung down from the saddle. Stiff, that I was, reminding me why I no longer rode with Colonel Farquhar’s company. I put my hands in the small of my back and pushed. There was a snunck sound, and things felt easier.
I sighed in pleasure, dropped my hands, and turned to see Ephraim crossing the small yard. “Master Archie!” he called out. “We didn’t know you were coming today. You should have sent a message.”
“Nein, old friend,” I said. “Without the telegraph, the message wouldn’t have gotten here before my own self, so a waste of money that would have been, and this trip has already cost the master a pretty pile of silver.” I held my hand out, and he gave it a good clasp. For all that he called me ‘Master,’ he treated me as a friend, and I valued that.
I noticed what appeared to be a lanky gawky youth several steps away, standing with some uncertainty. Eyes wide, he was obviously waiting for instruction.
“And who is this?” I nodded my head at the lad.
Ephraim looked over his shoulder. “Ah, that’s right, the master didn’t take him on until after you left. This is Veit Faber, come to be our boy of all purpose around the house. He has some knowledge of horses, so let him tend them in the stable and then he can bring your bags to your room.”
I looked at the lad. He met my gaze directly. I nodded at him, and beckoned.
“Come, lad, and meet my mounts.”
He stepped forward and approached Cortana, who snuffled him and flipped his ears forward. He passed that test, and I smiled at him. “The gray is Cortana, the bay is Maus. Take them in, take off the saddle and pack mounts and bridles, give them a quick rubdown and some fresh water and a little hay. I’ll be taking them to the stable later, or possibly tomorrow.”
He ducked his head without saying anything, and tugged on the reins. Cortana followed him willingly, and Maus trailed along behind.
I turned to Ephraim and said, “And where is Master Titus?”
“In the library. While you are conversing with him, I will go advise Estéban that you have arrived for dinner.”
I winced. “I hope two floors away will be far enough.”
Ephraim’s smile was small, while another man would have guffawed, but it had the same effect. I grinned at him as we turned for the door.
Once in the front hall, I placed my hat in its accustomed place atop the hall’s coat tree, and hung my buff coat with care, making sure that the weight of it didn’t topple the tree. Then I waved at Ephraim and moved to the stairs.
Two flights later, I paused at the doorway to the library to smooth my hair and straighten my jacket. It’s funny how the man, for all that he treats me as a close friend, still makes me feel as if I am facing the rector of the Latin school I once attended. I quirked my mouth at that and knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
I opened the door and stepped in to stand before the library’s desk. Master Titus was head down, peering at a codex with a magnifying glass. It wasn’t the codex, of course. It wasn’t nearly that large, and I certainly didn’t expect him to have it out where just anyone might observe its presence, but it still gave me a start.
He was writing a note of some kind on one of the up-time style paper pads they call “yellow legal pads” for some reason. “Just a moment, Ephraim,” he said without looking up.
“Take your time, Master.”
His pen froze and his head jerked up. A moment later, his pen had dropped to the pad, his chair was knocked over backward on the rug, and he was around the desk and crushing me with a surprisingly strong hug, given that he was not the largest fellow in town.
“Archie, Archie, Archie!” he said at last, stepping back and putting his hands on my shoulders. “Do you know what you have done?”
“Well, besides spending a mort of your money, and being charged with theft and almost getting arrested for it, I think I found you that book you wanted.”
“Oh, you did that. For sure and certain you did that. Come in, man, close the door and tell me all about it.”
I closed the door while he picked up his chair, then moved to the side table and poured two glasses of brandy. While he was doing that, I said, “I can take it, then, that the Bretagne Company boys delivered the box?”
“Oh, that they did, quietly and with no fuss, to the back door, even. They asked for a second guilder, I gave them two. Once I saw what was in the box, I wanted to chase them down in the streets and give them more. If I could have done it discreetly, I would have given them more—ten times, a hundred times more!”
The passion in Master Titus’ voice was like a thing of fire, crackling as it roared up a chimney, for all that he was speaking in his normal tones. I dug in my pocket and passed him the medallion that Sergeant Wolfe had given me. “They know who you are, you see. They do all kinds of secure courier work and provide security for goods shipments out of Grantville and elsewhere.”
He took the medallion and looked at it with some interest, then set it on the desk. “I will have to reward them with some contracts.” He sat down. “Sit down, Archie, and tell me what happened. Tell it all to me. I want to know every detail.”
I sat at the same time and began the story. I don’t know how long it took, but he had refilled our brandy at least once by the time I finished. He set his empty glass down and set his fingers together before his lips for a moment.
“You say the Jesuits were involved. Can they trace it here?”
“They may suspect, but they have no proof. And they were all German Jesuits. Two of them were just lay brothers, I suspect from Munich or Ingolstadt. The two full priests I suspect were from elsewhere.”
“What were their names again?”
“Augustus Heinzerling and Nicholas Smithson.”
He pulled a folder from one of his desk drawer and leaved through some pages. “Ah, yes, here we are.” He rapidly scanned the page. “Ha. They were sent to Grantville originally to spy on the up-timer priest, Father Mazzare, the one who is now the Cardinal Protector of the Empire. They seem to have become part of his senior staff while he is with the Pope. Along with one Father Athanasius Kircher.” He looked at the page. “A good thing he wasn’t with them, because you most likely would not have outwitted that man.”
“They aren’t what the Grantvillers call the A team?”
“No. Heinzerling has a reputation of being a wild boar set loose in the sanctuary, and Smithson is more of a scientist than anything. Some training for diplomacy and spy craft, of course. Every senior Jesuit has had some, regardless of what they do for their order. Kircher, however…that man is formidable. We will need to be cautious in the future.”
There was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Ephraim opened the door and looked in.
“Estéban has pronounced that dinner will be served in a quarter hour, and if you don’t want it thrown to the hogs you should be in your places at that time.”
Master Titus laughed, and stood to his feet.
“Come, Archie. To the hero’s feast!”
I had too much of Master Titus’ fine wine to remember all that we ate that night, but I do recall that it was good—very good. And I do recall that somewhere around the third glass of that wine I told Ephraim to have Veit give the horses a full rubdown and a full load of hay in their mangers, as I would not be tending to them that evening. But the rest of the night is a blur.