Sherlock Holmes: Before Baker Street David Marcum (reading eggs books .TXT) 📖

we knew, the dining room door had been thrown back and an elderly, stooped man, stabbing at the floor with his cane, entered like the wrath of God. The coat and gaiters marked him out as the vicar of whom I had heard so much.

“Wild of eye, flaring of nostril, and foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog, he was upon us in an instant, shouting and declaring he would be heard, whether the lord of the manor had guests or not.

“‘This will not be tolerated, Lord Zeal!’ he roared. ‘I have proofed my soul against the temptations of the damned and still they come to my door. This latest outrage will not be borne! Lady Bulmer is your tenant. Get rid of her!’

“‘Vicar, I must protest,’ said Zeal weakly, in the face of the man’s rage.

“‘Evil has walked abroad in Norton Deverill while I have been absent! You may count yourself fortunate I returned when I did, for all should have been swept into his maw. How else do you explain the horror I found on my doorstep?’

“With that, he flung a sack onto the table. Two white heads joined at the neck emerged from it, black button eyes looking out at us in silent appeal. Zeal almost toppled backwards in his hurry to get away from it.

“‘This unnatural beast is the work of devils!’ cried the vicar, clasping his hands together in fervent prayer.

“‘I think not,’ I interjected. ‘The work of a taxidermist, surely.’

“I pulled back the cloth of the bag to reveal the body of a two-headed lamb, perfectly preserved, from the gaping mouths to the six shiny black hooves.

“‘Who is this upstart?’ the vicar demanded, looking at me with sudden defiance.

“‘This is my guest from London, Mr. Sherlock Holmes,’ said Zeal. ‘Holmes, this is the Reverend Martin Tunstall. You are of course familiar with my other guests this evening, Vicar.’

“Zeal made a weak gesture in the direction of Lady Bulmer and her daughter. Such had been the vicar’s fury that he had not noticed their presence in the dim candlelight. His face grew suddenly ashen, and he clutched at the crucifix around his neck and held it out before him.

“‘Daughter of Hecate!’ Tunstall screeched. ‘Get thee behind me, Satan!’

“‘This is most unseemly,’ our host protested. ‘Lady Bulmer has been here all evening. When do you imagine she had time to leave this poor creature on your doorstep?’

“‘It was the doing of her familiars.’

“‘I fear I must disappoint you,’ said the lady with dignity. ‘I do not own a cat.’

“‘Do not mock me, woman,’ said he. ‘Only those who fear the judgement of the Almighty would disdain His church.’

“‘I do not disdain it, sir. However, I was raised a Baptist.’

“‘And what of you?’ Tunstall demanded, turning on me. ‘Are you a man of God, Mr. Holmes?’

“What transpired gives me no pride in the telling. I hold it entirely responsible for the events that followed. My defence is the arrogance of youth. As lessons go, it would prove to be a costly one, and is a mistake I have never repeated. So wild and unreasonable were the clergyman’s ravings that I thought it amusing to poke a little fun at this uncouth fellow by testing the limits of his intelligence with the choice of an obscure religious sect from the 17th century for my answer.

“‘I am a Muggletonian,’ I declared, and in that same moment I realised I had underestimated the man. His eyes widened with something approaching fevered elation.

“‘A follower of Lodowicke Muggleton! Then you may be the instrument of my deliverance!’ He grasped my hand and held it in an iron grip. ‘I have heard, sir, that part of your beliefs is the ability to curse people. I seem to remember that a denouncement was placed upon the head of dear Walter Scott shortly before his death.’

“‘It does not follow that the one led to the other.’

“‘Quite so, quite so. But tell me, Mr. Holmes, do you also possess the ability to remove the curses of others?’

“‘Do you believe yourself cursed?’

“He nodded frantically. ‘Truly, and by this woman. She is a servant of Satan. We must defend ourselves. “Thou shall not suffer a witch to live”.’

“‘Really, Vicar, this is too much,’ Zeal objected. ‘I will not have you insult my guests in this manner. And I am going to prove you wrong. Lady Bulmer, for the sake of harmony, will you and your household attend the morning service with us tomorrow?’

“Her grace in the face of such ill-treatment was admirable. ‘I have not crossed the threshold of a church since my late husband was buried. As the Lord abandoned us, so did I turn my back on Him. As for my daughter, she has been made unwelcome in your church, and my maid is Catholic. However,’ said she with resignation, ‘for the sake of my daughter, I shall make this one exception on Christmas morning. We shall all attend.’

“Zeal breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Will that satisfy you, Vicar?’

“He was staring at Lady Bulmer with a look of concentrated fury. ‘It remains to be seen whether she is able to go through with it,’ said he. ‘Good night to you, Lord Zeal, Mr. Holmes.’

“With the mood soured, it was felt best to call an end to the evening. Taylor was summoned to fetch Lady Bulmer’s transport. Zeal said he would see them safely home and then walk back.

“‘And thank Mrs. Hil for a fine dinner,’ said he. ‘The chops were splendid.’

“I noticed Taylor wince. Among the less pardonable of Zeal’s eccentricities was a failure to observe the usual etiquette. Even so, such familiarity seemed a step too far.

“He must have seen my expression, for he was quick to explain. ‘Just our little joke, Holmes. You see, Mrs. Taylor is Hilda and Mr.