PART 9: Observations
That afternoon, Cornflower's friend Violet visited her in the infirmary. They talked and joked for almost two hours. Cornflower told her about Matthias and how she felt about him, and Violet shared the same type of information about Matthias' friend Timto. Each offered the other advice and tips.
When it came time to go down to dinner, Matthias helped Cornflower down. Violet walked with them, taking in the way he acted towards her.
Violet immediately told Cornflower her observations in hushed tones while they ate.
"I'm telling you, he's in love. The way he helped you and the look on his face while you were near spoke a thousand words."
"Really?"
"Yes."
They finished the meal in silence, occasionally speaking to other beasts. When they finished, Violet went off to the kitchens, and Cornflower went to the sickbay.
Once she was settled in and comfortable, she began reading her book. Within ten minutes she was fast asleep.
*******
The next morning, Cornflower was awakened by Matthias tugging and tickling her footpaw.
"Cornflower, wake up. I need to talk to you. It's urgent!"
"What is it? I'm tired."
"It's the abbot. He isn't well. They are only predicting he has about another week or two to live." Matthias broke the news in a shaky voice.
Cornflower sat up, ignoring her back pain. "What? What happened?" she demanded.
"Late last night he was talking to Brother George and he started shaking all over. Then e fell to the floor, appearing to be asleep. George dragged him onto a chair, and he awoke about five minutes later. He couldn't remember any of it, but he was very weak and his breathing was ragged."
"That's horrible! I must go see him!" she said, trying to stand.
"No," Matthias said, pushing her back down gently. "You cannot go. He has enough to worry about. The shrews arrived with the vermin just an hour ago, and he's asleep anyway. He left me in charge of that whole ordeal."
"Oh," she replied, put out.
"Would you come down with me? I want the rats to see that they did not succeed."
"I suppose."
Matthias helped her out of the bed, but she made it downstairs by herself. He was very watchful of her. She had made an excellent recovery so far, and he didn't want anything to happen that would ruin this.
Once they got down to the cellars where the rats were locked, Matthias made Cornflower wait. He led them out to the grounds, still bound and gagged.
"Abbey members, friends, and Guosim shrews, we are here today because of a most unfortunate event. These seven rats thought they could attack and attempt to kill Redwallers and Guosim shrews. They were gravely mistaken. The poor maid is still living. You failed. And now you must pay for what you have done. Log-a-log, you said you and your shrews are traveling to Salamandastron, right?"
"Aye, that is the plan. There is a Badger Lord there now, I think."
"That's good. Would you and your shrews be willing to take this scum to the hares there? You know how hares are. They are all perilous beasts, and will be more then happy to take care of them for us. I would, but laws of the abbey won't permit it."
"Of course. On logboats it takes only seven days to get there. We could kill a rat a day, if they get on our nerves." This said, Log-a-log grinned wickedly at the cowering, frightened rats. Had their mouths been uncovered, they would have protested and begged for mercy.
"Right then. I speak for all abbey beasts when I say that you may help yourselves to anything you wish, or that you require for the trip."
"Thanks Matthias. But we're going to get going right away. We'll return by midsummer with news from Salamandastron."
The shrews left then, taking the horrified rats with them.
That afternoon, Cornflower's friend Violet visited her in the infirmary. They talked and joked for almost two hours. Cornflower told her about Matthias and how she felt about him, and Violet shared the same type of information about Matthias' friend Timto. Each offered the other advice and tips.
When it came time to go down to dinner, Matthias helped Cornflower down. Violet walked with them, taking in the way he acted towards her.
Violet immediately told Cornflower her observations in hushed tones while they ate.
"I'm telling you, he's in love. The way he helped you and the look on his face while you were near spoke a thousand words."
"Really?"
"Yes."
They finished the meal in silence, occasionally speaking to other beasts. When they finished, Violet went off to the kitchens, and Cornflower went to the sickbay.
Once she was settled in and comfortable, she began reading her book. Within ten minutes she was fast asleep.
*******
The next morning, Cornflower was awakened by Matthias tugging and tickling her footpaw.
"Cornflower, wake up. I need to talk to you. It's urgent!"
"What is it? I'm tired."
"It's the abbot. He isn't well. They are only predicting he has about another week or two to live." Matthias broke the news in a shaky voice.
Cornflower sat up, ignoring her back pain. "What? What happened?" she demanded.
"Late last night he was talking to Brother George and he started shaking all over. Then e fell to the floor, appearing to be asleep. George dragged him onto a chair, and he awoke about five minutes later. He couldn't remember any of it, but he was very weak and his breathing was ragged."
"That's horrible! I must go see him!" she said, trying to stand.
"No," Matthias said, pushing her back down gently. "You cannot go. He has enough to worry about. The shrews arrived with the vermin just an hour ago, and he's asleep anyway. He left me in charge of that whole ordeal."
"Oh," she replied, put out.
"Would you come down with me? I want the rats to see that they did not succeed."
"I suppose."
Matthias helped her out of the bed, but she made it downstairs by herself. He was very watchful of her. She had made an excellent recovery so far, and he didn't want anything to happen that would ruin this.
Once they got down to the cellars where the rats were locked, Matthias made Cornflower wait. He led them out to the grounds, still bound and gagged.
"Abbey members, friends, and Guosim shrews, we are here today because of a most unfortunate event. These seven rats thought they could attack and attempt to kill Redwallers and Guosim shrews. They were gravely mistaken. The poor maid is still living. You failed. And now you must pay for what you have done. Log-a-log, you said you and your shrews are traveling to Salamandastron, right?"
"Aye, that is the plan. There is a Badger Lord there now, I think."
"That's good. Would you and your shrews be willing to take this scum to the hares there? You know how hares are. They are all perilous beasts, and will be more then happy to take care of them for us. I would, but laws of the abbey won't permit it."
"Of course. On logboats it takes only seven days to get there. We could kill a rat a day, if they get on our nerves." This said, Log-a-log grinned wickedly at the cowering, frightened rats. Had their mouths been uncovered, they would have protested and begged for mercy.
"Right then. I speak for all abbey beasts when I say that you may help yourselves to anything you wish, or that you require for the trip."
"Thanks Matthias. But we're going to get going right away. We'll return by midsummer with news from Salamandastron."
The shrews left then, taking the horrified rats with them.