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Stories from the Verse
Con Version
Chapter 62: Cooper 20
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Brown 303
That chill night he suffered several devastating spikes of fear, but clung to his faith. After this he spent the rest of the night feeling surrounded by love and light so that he sang easily. When the Inquisitor and Geisler and the chief of the guards (he thought, although the man could have been one of his lieutenants), and one other guard came for him, he smiled gently at them.
As the two guards bound his wrists, first the younger and then the senior officer apologized to him in very quiet whispers.
“Don’t worry, brothers,” he said in reply. When he was taken from the cage and they went to Hans' cage, rage ran through his mind, and Geisler at first sneered in his face; but something dreadful stared back, and Geisler flinched away. Cooper considered asking for the strength of Samson, to rip his cords like paper and smash these men, to save Hans. The younger guard spoke, saying Hans was just going to be brought out to watch.
The panic-driven fury subsided, and Cooper was able to look into the boy’s eyes that held unshed tears. He was trying to be brave, and Cooper nodded to him, showing as he could that things would be all right. They would be. He said to Hans, “We are in God’s hands.”
They were taken out, with the overweight Geisler shoving them many times, until finally the priest of the Holy Inquisition spoke, in German. He asked whether Geisler was like Pontius Pilate, who ordered the Lord illegally scourged before his agony on the Cross, then commanded that he keep his hands and feet to himself, or his behavior would be in the report to the Holy Office.
Cooper was surprised, but he managed a ‘thank you’ to the priest who stared hard back at him before replying as they walked out of the city hall. “You shall be given what dignity and mercy is allowed you, heretic. I do not light the fires because I enjoy it, but because it is needful.”
“I think Geisler would perhaps light the fires without cause, because he enjoys it.” Cooper said. The priest stared at him, and then spoke.
“Take what comfort you can, that I shall investigate your saying, to see whether it be false or true.”
With that they reached the prepared bonfire, and the time for private conversation was over. The main square was full, but hardly a word was heard, except for some weeping here and there. Cooper and Hans were surrounded by guards, and were walked to the post around which was piled wood. His legs nearly gave way, but he remembered his decision to be as brave as Wilhelm, and he forced new strength into his them. Hans and he were separated, and he was glad to see that the boy was more lightly bound than he, only having a link about his wrists, whereas he had three cords tied tightly about his wrists and once loosely down around his legs--he could walk, but running was out of the question.
The guards brought him to a pass through the wood piles, and swiftly added new rope to bind him to the stake. After this they closed the gap, and shoved the wood up close to him. As they did the last, the older guardsman spoke quickly and quietly in German, saying when the fire gets going, he should sing with all his heart.
The guards retreated, and Cooper stood there, already feeling awkward, with the sun beating down on the bald spot on his head. Geisler came up, and he had to struggle to hold back his lustful smile as he bore the lit torch that would ignite the soaked wood. The full square, except for those who hid their faces, looked on him, and he drew breath to sing.
“No more of your wretched songs, Moor,” Geisler snarled in his weak English. “Do you know how many good nights of sleep you cost me as you droned on?”
“You can still turn back, Geisler. The Inquisitor is sincerely mistaken. But you, I think you might know better. God reached down into your life with a miracle.”
You’re a sorcerer! Geisler raged in German.
Am I, really? Cooper’s German response reached to every corner of the square, and no one who could hear the soft rebuke could not at least doubt whether this was an evil man in conspiracy with Satan.
“Ja!” Geisler howled, and thrust the torch down only to hear a strong voice shout.
Hold! Near to Hans, a man clad in old rags and stooped over had flung off his cloak, and stood revealed as Wilhelm Tell. He gathered up his boy in his left arm, but in his right arm was a heavy crossbow with the point of a bolt aimed right at Geisler.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
