Revelation

'Papist!' someone in the crowd shouted out. Bonner stared round furiously, but in the close-packed crowd there was no way of telling who had spoken. The bishop turned his furious eyes on me. 'Who are you, lawyer? Are you of his family? And you—' His gaze turned to Meaphon, who quailed. 'Oh, I know you, sir, you are a leader of the mad giddy company of schismatics.'

I had heard of Bonner's rages; his anger was fierce and once roused did not abate. 'Heretic!' he shouted in Meaphon's face. The cleric flinched, his courage visibly draining. 'It's not his fault, sir.' Daniel Kite spoke up bravely. 'He was trying to talk Adam down. Our son. He is mad, sir, stark mad—'

'God is the judge of all, Jesus will come with sword in hand.' Adam had begun again. Bonner turned to the soldiers. 'You! Go up through the gatehouse, bring him down. If he falls, it'll be no loss.'

The soldiers approached the wall, but then paused, staring upward. There was a murmur from the crowd as three figures stepped through an upper window of the gatehouse on to the wall. Guy and Barak and Piers. They moved slowly along the wall towards Adam, Barak and Piers holding their arms out for balance but Guy, behind, walking straight, his robe hitched up so his feet would not stumble on the hem. The crowd fell silent; even the furious Bonner was quiet.

'Come, Adam,' Guy called. 'Remember me. Remember we talked?'

The boy stared at him foolishly, as though wondering how he had appeared there. Barak and Piers were almost next to Adam. They looked at him dubiously, I saw fear in both their set faces. If they tried to grasp Adam he could bring all three down. 'Why are you doing this?' Guy asked.

To my surprise, Adam answered him. 'I thought I could bring others to God, it would prove I was saved.'

'But not all who are saved can be messengers to the world.' Guy waved at the crowd. 'See, look at those people, you are not strong enough to convert that heathen crowd. It is no shame.'

Adam began to cry then, and sank slowly to his knees. Some lumps of old mortar, dislodged, pattered down on the crowd. Barak and Piers knelt carefully beside him, eased him to his feet and with difficulty led him back along the wall. They helped get the boy through the window of the gatehouse. Guy stepped in after them.

Bonner clicked his fingers and walked toward the gatehouse, the guard following. Daniel and Minnie stepped hesitantly after him. Meaphon hesitated a moment, then stepped backwards and disappeared into the crowd. I watched him go. Cowardice, or the realization that his presence now would only anger Bonner? Then I tensed. I felt someone watching me, caught the merest glimpse out of the corner of my eye. Someone with a beard. I whirled round. I saw a figure turn away into the crowd, a glimpse of a brown doublet. My heart thumped. Was it him, following again? I stood rooted to the spot, realizing my anxiety for Adam had made me careless.

'Master Shardlake, please, help us!' It was Minnie Kite's voice. I turned back to her.

ADAM HAD emerged from the gatehouse on to the street. Guy and Barak each held one of his arms, for he was trying to drop to the ground again, his eyes were closed and his lips moved in silent prayer. The gatekeeper followed, looking anxiously at the bishop. Bonner planted himself in front of Adam, arms akimbo.

'This is a fine sight,' he thundered. 'What did you think you were doing, boy?' Adam ignored him, his eyes on the ground, praying even now. Bonner reddened. 'You had better answer, boy preacher, or you will find yourself in the fire like Mekins.'

'I don't know how he got up there,' the gatekeeper said. 'He must have sneaked up through the house. On my oath, sir, I don't know how he did it unless he's a sorcerer and can make himself invisible.' Bonner snorted.

'Slave of the Roman harlot!' someone shouted out from the crowd. Bonner turned again, frowning mightily. 'Traitor!' someone else called out. This time there was a murmur of approval from the crowd. The soldiers took a firm hold on their pikes. The mood was beginning to turn.

Daniel and Minnie had been looking on helplessly, an expression of mingled fear and distaste in Daniel's eyes as he stared at Bonner. Minnie, though, stepped forward. She fell on her knees before Bonner, grasped the hem of his robe. 'Please, sir,' she said. 'My son is mad. Sick in his mind. The Privy Council sent him to the Bedlam. He must have escaped. He can be sore cunning despite his scattered wits.'

Bonner was quite unmoved. 'I heard of that decision, Bishop Gardiner told me. The Privy Council was wrong. This display shows your son to be a wild heretic' He glared round at us. 'I will shortly make matters so hot for you people, you will wish yourselves gathered into God.' He stared at Adam, his expression twisted with distaste. 'I shall begin with this slavering creature.' He looked round defiantly at the crowd; whatever else, Bishop Bonner did not lack courage.