Young Bleys - Childe Cycle 09 by Gordon R. Dickson Read Free Book Online Page A

single truth for each and every thing—and all the stability that promised . . .
    But even as he was thinking this, he was following Joshua and they were back, outside the bedroom. As Joshua had predicted, the table was already set.
    Its scrubbed surface was now covered with a cloth that had originally been checkered red and white, but now had been washed so many times that it was almost all white. This cloth was laid with wooden forks and spoons; and homemade knives that were sharp enough, Bleys discovered by accident during the meal, to shave with.
    "What kept you?" demanded Henry as they emerged from the boys' bedroom. "Well, never mind. Sit yourself down, sit yourself down. Will, you can serve us now."
    Bleys found put before him a large wooden bowl that contained a dark-looking stew, from the iron pot that had been hanging over the fire in the fireplace. It had an odd smell, mainly of vegetables, but it was an appetizing one; and Bleys found himself suddenly weak with hunger. He realized then that it had been a long day since they had left the ship and he had last eaten.
    He was about to pick up his wooden spoon and dig into the stew, when he saw that no one else at the table had done so. They were waiting with their hands in their laps looking expectantly at Henry. Finally, when everyone had been served and Will himself had climbed into a chair opposite his own bowl of stew, Henry spoke.
    "Grace, Will," he said.
    "Lord we thank thee and thee alone, always for the food that thou has supplied us. For all things are supplied by thee, in thy name ..." Will's young, clear, high voice began immediately and continued for some time, the extreme earnestness of it giving a special intensity to what he said.
    Bleys, looking at him, thought that the other boy could not be more than a year younger than he was; but in some ways he was much more childish. It was obvious, now, that in this moment Will was not just thanking a deity in whom he believed. He was speaking directly to an invisible, all-powerful presence that stood just behind his father at the foot of the table; and weighed every word the boy said for correctness and sincerity.
    The result upon Bleys was impressive. For the first time, he —- appreciated emotionally how deep the dark river of believed truth in their religion and all its observation ran, in the three people with him here.
    At last, Will came to an end. Still, none of the family moved until Henry took up his own spoon.
    "Now we will eat," he said. "Joshua, pass your cousin the cheese and the bread."
    Bleys had scarcely noticed that also on the table were two platters, one holding thick-cut slices of dark, rough-looking bread, the other a whitish cheese cut into two-inch cubes. He accepted the plates from Joshua.
    "Thank you, Joshua," he said.
    "Here, we say thank the Lord," said Henry. "Remember that, Bleys."
    "Yes, Uncle," said Bleys. "Thank the Lord for these foods."
    He waited until he had spoken before he helped himself both to the bread and a couple of cubes of the cheese and then he passed the platter back to Joshua himself, who swiftly, without taking anything, passed it to Henry.
    For the first time a wintry smile showed on Henry's features, a smile directed at his oldest son,
    "Bleys is just come among us, Joshua," Henry said, "and it was because you were eldest I asked you to serve him first. It
    was polite of you to remember not to help yourself before passing the platters to me."
    Having taken what he wanted, he passed the platters back by way of Joshua down to Will; who both, atlast, got to help themselves.
    Bleys was busily searching for an understanding of the people around him—but particularly an understanding of Henry. It would be Henry he wanted to understand and bring to a liking for him. Henry, from whom in the end he could win the most in freedom and favors.
    Indeed, in the long run, he had some hope—but it was faint—of eventually being able to in a small way, at least, influence