The Water Devil by Judith Merkle Riley Read Free Book Online

the acrid smoke, had laid two great wooden bowls of pottage on the little table in the hall, and was engaged in cutting thick slabs from a loaf of heavy brown bread. Malachi poured water in a basin and washed his hands and face, leaving soot on his ears and in a ring beneath his multiple chins, while Sim, his apprentice, contented himself with washing his hands only. Then he settled himself, announcing at intervals, “Splendid, splendid!” while food vanished from the table at an astonishing rate.
    “A masterwork, this soup,” announced Malachi from his seat on the bench, as a second large bowlful disappeared down his capacious middle. “Hilde, you have surpassed yourself. It must be the garlic. No one but you has a true understanding of garlic. And that bit of pepper from the sausage—outstanding. Yes, what is it, Cecily?” Cecily, having waited until Malachi looked mellow and sated, was now twisting in embarrassment as she tried to make words come out of her. Very softly, hoping I would not overhear, she said:
    “Brother Malachi, you can change things into other things, can't you?”
    “Why of course,” answered Malachi, “that's an alchemist's business.”
    “Mother said the Philosopher's Stone changes ordinary things into better things, like lead into gold.”
    “Well, that it does. But I must admit, little Cecily, I haven't quite got it yet.” Cecily's face fell in disappointment.
    “Then the White Stone isn't
the
Stone?”
    “Not yet, not yet, child. The White Stone is just a step required in the process. Not that it isn't wonderful, mind you, but it's not the all-transforming Stone.” Mother Hilde, her face wise and silent, cast me a glance. We pretended to be busy, but our ears were tuned for the next question.
    “Then when will you get the real Stone? I need you to turn something.”
    “What kind of something?”
    “Brother Malachi, when you get the Philosopher's Stone, can you turn me into a boy?” Brother Malachi sputtered and set down his soup spoon.
    “Whatever do you want that for? I always thought you were a perfectly nice girl,” he answered tactfully.
    “Boys get everything,” said Cecily, her voice serious. “They get to ride any horse they want, and travel where they like, and carry a sword to smite down enemies. And—and—they don't have to sit still and
embroider
for just simply hours, and never talk and have ideas, and look at their feet when they're in the street instead of up at things happening, and—and—be
ladies.
I hate it, and I want to be a boy, because it's better.” Malachi's round, pink face looked troubled.
    “Well, admittedly, being a boy
in general
is essentially better,” he said, thoughtfully, “but in specific, not all boys get to do the things you say—and yet, yet—this is a point entirely unconsidered in the texts—how odd that you should bring it up. If being a boy is better, as holy writ assures us, and if the Philosopher's Stone changes all things into their higher forms, then all women could change themselves into men, and there would be no more human race. Now, if God Himself commanded mankind to be fruitful and multiply—tosay nothing of other species—and if they all went and turned themselves into males and couldn't, then God's true will would be countermanded. Hmm. So then God would consider men and women equally valuable, although, let us say, different. Strange. Let's think this through another way. I have never seen it written that the Stone can change a woman into a man, and since the Stone is created by God to change lower things into higher things, then that means, goodness—but surely, it's far better to be a man—”
    “You mean you can't make me into a boy, even if you get the Stone?”At this, Malachi's face cleared.
    “Ha, Cecily. Let's consider it an experiment.
When
I get the Stone, and
if
you still want to be a boy, then we'll try it. If it works, you get your wish, and if it doesn't—”
    “Then boys and girls count