Hail, O Christ,
welcome risen Lord.
By your death and rising,
you have life restored—
(Traditional Holy Saturday hymn)
Lost Story
Chapter IV
Although, The Man of Stone is not intended to take an hour to read, that is how long Adrian read the story—due to Lysander and Alcander interjecting questions into the text. Once the story was finished, Adrian placed the book on his desk, carried his sons to the master room, placed them with their toys, kissed his wife, grabbed his coat, and journeyed to Vasile's.
Adrian entered Vasile's before its early evening crowd. The bar was empty, with the exception of Vasile sitting at the edge of the bar, smoking a pipe. The late afternoon sun shined on Vasile's baldhead and on the glass case that contained a portrait of Simon Belmont.
"Adrian," Vasile began—while he blew a smoke ring, "you're here earlier than usual."
"Well," Adrian began—while he removed his coat, "I finished reading my boys the story of The Man of Stone…"
"Now that's a great story! My children loved that story, when they were little."
Adrian nodded. "Well, yes, it is a great story, but the story took me an hour to read—due to Lysander and Alcander stopping me to ask questions." Adrian smiled. "Inquisitive little boys, they are."
Adrian placed his coat behind his favorite bar stool that was located near a large crucifix.
"Wine, as usual?" Vasile asked, while he wiped the area where Adrian would be sitting.
Adrian smiled. "Of course."
"I didn't see you this morning," Vasile began, while he poured Adrian a glass. "Were you not at the execution?"
Adrian shook his head, and placed his hand on the glass. "No, the idea of an execution, as some form of entertainment, has always bothered me."
Vasile nodded. "I understand. By the way," Vasile continued—while he wiped the rest of his bar, "did you learn anything from Father Belmont yesterday?"
Adrian took a sip. "Well, no confession took place. Wadim was defiant…"
"He was defiant this morning as well."
"I take it Father Hans was there this morning?"
Vasile nodded. "Yes, and from what I can tell no confession was made."
Adrian returned the nod, and prepared to continue his tale, when the regular evening crowd arrived. But the entrance of the usual evening crowd did not detour Adrian from his story. Wadim was the topic of the day.
"Richter gave me some of Wadim's writings today," Adrian said, while he finished his glass. "I read one of them today."
"Did they say anything about Wadim engaging in witchcraft?" asked a bearded patron, who gulped his beer.
Adrian shook his head, while Vasile placed another glass before him. "No, what I've seen so far is basically Wadim's views of the world." Adrian took a sip. "They're quite interesting, I must say."
"What exactly are they?" asked a patron, while he lit his pipe.
"They are asking questions that many people don't ask."
"Like what?" asked Vasile.
"Like where was God, when the innocent suffer? Where was God, when a child dies? What wrong did the child commit, for its life to be taken away? I must say that I've been…" Adrian stopped to take a sip, and gestured for his audience to wait. The reason why Adrian stopped was that he was about to say that he had been around for a long time, but realized that to the patrons he was a young man. "I must say that I've been to different places in this world. I've been to Russia, and I've been to Austria. And what I can say about Eastern Europe and Western Europe, Orthodox and Catholic, is that there is a common belief in God's will—or the statement, 'that's just the way the world is.' Wadim, however, challenged that worldview. Wadim wondered if God is just, then why are plagues inflicted on the innocent? Why are those, who are following the teachings of Christ, get shitted on—while those who do not, receive all the good graces of this world? To Wadim, the standard understanding of God as merciful and just no longer worked."
"Wadim never understood his faith," a clean-shaven man said at the edge of the bar, with a glass full of beer. The man's name was Edward, and he was in his early eighties. Edward was a life-long resident of Warakiya and was staunchly religious. But as Edward grew older, he also became more eccentric—and his eccentric nature came out in his religious beliefs. When Edward drank, he would begin to act out the gestures of the priest at mass; and he would often cross himself, and bless objects.
"Well, actually, Edward, Wadim was trained in theology by…"
"If Wadim had known his faith, he would have known that Christian people suffer. Look at the apostles—all but John was martyred. Look at St. John's disciple, St. Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna."
"Well, yes," gestured Adrian, I agree with you, but at the same time…"
"Those men never gave up hope in Jesus. It's like St. Polycarp said, Jesus had never let him down in the eighty years that he had followed Him."
Again, Adrian tried to interject. "Yes, I understand what you're saying, but at the same time, don't you think that…"
"And Jesus was with Polycarp!"
Adrian smiled, sighed, and placed his hand on his forehead. "Well, he died for Him…"
Edward clapped and smiled. "Exactly! And Jesus said that those who laid their life down for Him would be blessed. And now St. Polycarp prays with all the other saints in Heaven," Edward added, while he crossed himself. "But Wadim," Edward continued with a gesture, "rejected Christ. And when you reject Christ, you reject the grace of God." Edward folded his arms across his chest and shook—like he was cold. "And when you reject the grace of God the only place for you is Hell!" Edward crossed himself, and with his hands in prayer looked to the heavens. "St. Polycarp, please pray that we never lose our eyes on Jesus. Always pray with us and for us to Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen."
And as Edward crossed himself for the second time, Adrian smirked. "Well, on that cheerful note," Adrian began—while he took a final sip, "I need to depart."
"Take care, Adrian," Vasile began. "Just to remind you, I'll be closed for Holy Week, and will reopen on Easter Monday."
"God loves you!" Edward added, while he blessed Adrian—as though he was a priest.
Adrian smiled. "Thank you, Edward, and take care all of you!" Adrian added, while he waved goodbye to the patrons.
For Easter of 1808, Adrian Tepes and his family journeyed to the Belmont Estate. Along with the Belmonts, the Tepeses were joined by Sebastian and Dymphna Renard—the parents of Maria and Annette. On Holy Saturday, Father Richter Belmont led the procession around his church, St. George. Those who followed the priest carried candles. Adrian, however, carried Alcander. Alcander smiled with his lit candle, while he was being carried around the church.
Finally, when the procession reached the entrance to the church, Richter declared, "Christ is risen!"
And those gathered responded, "Indeed! He is risen!"
All was grand at Easter. It was the end of another long season of Lent. But, at the same time, it was the calm before the storm.