The King's Evil by Edward Marston Read Free Book Online Page A

...'
    'Amazing?'
said the artist, fishing for compliments. 'Resplendent, ambitious, uplifting?
Be honest, my friend.'
    'It
is like nothing I have ever seen.'
    'That
is because you have never been to Rome and imbibed the wonders of the Classical
tradition. This is not so much a new design of St Paul's Cathedral as an
English version of St Peter's in Rome.' He saw the scowl on the other's face.
'You disapprove?'
    'Not
of the drawing, sir. Only of its origin.'
    'Too
Catholic for your taste?'
    'I
prefer the cathedral we have just lost.'
    'Yet
that was built when England was of the Old Religion. Roman Catholic genius went
into its design and building. True art should have no denomination,' said the
young man, laying the drawing down. 'We should be free to borrow from all
countries, whatever spiritual dimension they may have. I need to do far more
work on the new St Paul's. You keep that drawing of the old one.'
    'No,
sir,' said Jonathan firmly.
    'Why
not?'
    'I
do not deserve it.'
    'That
is for me to judge. I may have the eye of an artist but you have the much more
practical eye of a constable. While I was gazing into the future, you saw a
pickpocket taking my purse. Hold on to the drawing in lieu of my thanks.'
    'I
do not wish to keep it, sir.'
    'You
are refusing the gift?'
    'Yes,
sir,' said Jonathan, handing it back to him. 'Excuse me.'
    'Wait!
You must not do this. It is a form of insult.'
    'Then
you brought it upon yourself.'
    'Anybody
else would have been delighted with such a drawing.'
    'Give
it to one of them.'
    He
tried to move away but the young man barred his way.
    'Are
you still angry with me because I stopped you from arresting that pickpocket?
Is that what we have here? Pique and annoyance?'
    'I
could have done without your interference.'
    'You
had my apology. What more do you want?'
    'Nothing,
sir. I have duties to carry out.'
    'What
is to stop you taking my drawing with you?'
    'My
conscience.'
    The
constable pushed him gently aside and walked away.
    'One
moment,' called the other. 'What is your name?'
    'Jonathan
Bale,' he said over his shoulder.
    'I
am Christopher Redmayne and I am still grateful, however surly you choose to
be.' He raised his voice at the departing figure. 'You are a sound officer. I
will remember your name, Jonathan Bale.'
    'I
have already forgotten yours,' said the other to himself.

Chapter Four
     
    When
the cost of the fire was finally counted, chilling figures emerged. Four
hundred acres within the city wall had been destroyed along with a further
sixty-three acres outside it. Eighty-seven churches perished, as did forty-
four livery halls and upwards of thirteen thousand houses. Several million
pounds' worth of property went up in smoke. Business and domestic life were
severely disrupted. Some trades were virtually expunged. Morale sank to a lower
ebb even than during the Great Plague when, as many sourly observed, people
were at least allowed to die in the privacy of their own homes.
    Death
itself, however, had been unusually restrained. Apart from the hapless
maidservants in Pudding Lane, it claimed only eight other victims during the
blaze, though the number of fatalities increased during subsequent weeks as
people died from delayed shock or sheer despair at the enormity of their
losses. Confidence shattered, hundreds of Londoners vowed never to return to
the city itself and either settled in the outer suburbs or sought a new life
further afield. Ruined tradesmen had no choice but to go elsewhere. Unjustly
persecuted in the aftermath of the fire, foreign inhabitants thought twice
about taking up residence once more in such a vengeful community.
    Notwithstanding
all this, the capital displayed, in general, a spirit of resilience. If the
setbacks were to be overcome, an immense collective effort was needed and most
people responded at once. Those whose houses or workplaces had been only
partially damaged moved back into them as soon as possible to institute
repairs. Within a week of the end