Novela de Mi Id

“In Fear and Trembling”

Chapter Six

The next morning a sexless one appeared at the door. “Come with me,” it said.

He was escorted down a long black corridor to a solitary stone chamber. The furnishings were much simpler in this chamber than in the one in which he had slept the night before. For one thing, there were no windows or wall coverings and the floor was bare stone. The only piece of furniture was a wooden chair; its only source of heat was a modest fire. A brown-robed man sat in the chair. Besides him was a yellowing human skull. The man's head seemed almost as hairless as the skull. His hood was down and around his neck could be seen a crucifix and a rosary.

“Good evening,” the man said. “I am Father Jerónimo.”

The man patted the skull beside him and waited for an answer. When none was forthcoming, he continued. “I have heard that you have some objection to the Mother Church.”

Father Jerónimo patted the skull again. “Why is that?”

He replied, “For years, I have been a prisoner in the royal dungeon. Did the Mother Church lift a finger to help me? No. Why then should I be especially grateful to it for anything?”

Father Jerónimo frowned. “You owe the Mother Church more than you know. It was we who fed you and educated you. It was we who gave you clothes and arranged your marriage. Your own father cared little whether you lived or died. You saw that for yourself at the ceremony.”

“You mean that old man was my father?”

“Of course,” said Father Jerónimo. “But then I suspect that you had already guessed as much.”

He said nothing.

Father Jerónimo continued. “Anyway, the one reason you are here today is because of the Mother Church. Otherwise, you would have been exposed at birth.”

The hairless old man smiled and noted his visitor's reaction.

“What of my mother?” he asked.

“She died while giving birth to you, her only child,” said Father Jerónimo. “Why else do you think your father resents you so?”

He stared at Father Jerónimo, his assurance suddenly shaken. He took a step forward. “Why do you tell me this?"

“Just a warning,” said Father Jerónimo. “You are a good man in spite of your unalterable handicaps. Our kingdom needs good men like you to rule it. Especially since we are on the verge of becoming an empire. However, what she does not need is would-be heretics spitting in the face of her supporters and dragging the kingdom down to ruin. After all, we are first and foremost a Christian country. Our ways are Christian ways. Take care not to mock them for even you are not indispensable.”

Father Jerónimo patted the skull again. “Heed the lesson of the memento mori. We are all mortal. Never forget that.”

He just stared at the old man again.

“You are dismissed,” said the priest.

He just stood there.

“I said you are dismissed.”

He still did not move. “My name,” he said.

“What?”

“Say my name.”

“Very well,” said the priest. “You are dismissed, Don Felipe. But take care never to darken my door again.”

He smiled again. “You seem to forget that it was you who had invited me to come here.”

And with that, he left.