Brother Cadfael 19: The Holy Thief

breviary; the yellow straw still marked the place where Tutilo had recited the Office and shared the night prayers with Daalny. "Give this back to him. He'll need it."
    And he went away to his audience with Radulfus, while Cadfael sat somewhat morosely thinking, and holding the worn book in his hands. He was not quite sure why he should so concern himself with a clever little fool who had tried to steal Shrewsbury's saint, and in the process started a vexatious series of events that had cost several decent men hurts, troubles and hardships, and one his life. None of which, of course, had Tutilo actually committed or intended, but trouble he was, and trouble he would continue as long as he remained where he did not belong. Even his over-ardent but genuine piety was not of the kind to fit into the discipline of a monastic brotherhood. Well, at least Hugh would make it plain that the boy was no murderer, whatever else might be charged against him, and his highly enterprising theft was not such as to come within the province of the king's sheriff. For the rest, if the worst came to the worst, the boy must do what many a recalcitrant square peg in a round hole had had to do before him, survive his penance, resign himself to his fate, and settle down to live tamed and deformed, but safe. A singing bird caged. Though of course there was still Daalny. Bring me word, she had said. And yes, he would bring her word. Of both worst and best.
    In the abbot's parlour Hugh delivered his judgement with few words. If all was not to be told, the fewer the better. "I came to tell you, Father Abbot, that I have no charge to make against the novice Tutilo. I have evidence enough now to be certain that he did no murder. The law of which I am custodian has no further interest in him. Unless," he added mildly," the common interest of wishing him well."
    "You have found the murderer elsewhere?" asked Radulfus.
    "No, that I can't say. But I am certain now that it is not Tutilo. What he did that night, in coming at once to give word of the slaying, was well done, and what he could do further the next day he did ungrudgingly. My law makes no complaint of him."
    "But mine must," said Radulfus. "It is no light offence to steal, but it is worse to have involved another in the theft, and brought him into peril of his life. To his better credit he confessed it, and has shown true remorse that ever he brought this unfortunate young man into his plans. He has gifts he may yet use to the glory of God. But there is a debt to pay." He considered Hugh in attentive silence for a while, and then he said: "Am I to know what further witness has come to your hand? Since you have not fathomed out the guilty, there must be cause why you are sure of this one's innocence."
    "He made the excuse of being called to Longner," said Hugh readily, "in order to be able to slip away and hide until the danger should be past and the witness departed, at least for that night. I doubt he looked beyond, it was the immediate threat he studied to avoid. Where he hid I know. It was in the loft of the abbey stable on the Horse Fair, and there is reasonable evidence he did not leave it until he heard the Compline bell. By which time Aldhelm was dead."
    "And is there any other voice to bear out this timing?"
    "There is," said Hugh, and offered nothing further.
    "Well," said Radulfus, sitting back with a sigh, "he is not in my hands but by chance, and I cannot, if I would, pass over his offence or lighten his penalty. Sub-Prior Herluin will take him back to Ramsey, to his own abbot, and while he is within my walls, I must respect Ramsey's right, and hold him fast and securely until he leaves my gates."
    "He was not curious, he did not probe," Hugh reported to Cadfael in the herb garden; his voice was appreciative and amused. "He accepted my assurance that I was satisfied Tutilo had done no murder and broken no law of the land, at least, none outside the Church's pale, and that was enough for him. After all, he'll be rid of the whole tangle by tomorrow, he has his own delinquent to worry about. Jerome is going to take a deal of absolving. But the abbot won't do the one thing I suppose, as superior here, he could do, let our excommunicate come back into the services for this last night. He's right, of course. Once they leave your gates, he's no longer a responsibility of Shrewsbury's, but until then Radulfus is forced to act for Ramsey as well as for his own household. Brother must