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Things in the pit are becoming dire and there is less and less communication.
CHAPTER 45
GUILLAUME
It sounds such an odd thing to say, but the silence here in the pit is deafening! Even Guy has fallen quiet to the point where I miss his goading of me, of his constant complaining and infuriatingly obtuse manner. I would actually welcome an argument with him now; a verbal sparring. It would do much to pass the time and time is certainly something of which there is an abundance.
The Musketeer says nothing at all and hardly moves, save to sip at the water bottle and occasionally nibble at a chunk of the stale bread when Gervais patiently reminds him. More and more of the pitiful food and drink are left now and Athos must have tired of it. At least, that is what I hope is his reasoning and not that he is bereft of any remaining hope. I mutter another swift prayer, beseeching the Lord to protect him and instil in him the need to continue the fight.
Guy occasionally fires an order at Athos, but even that has lost initial effectiveness. I fear that Guy has also given up all hope, his negativity leaching into the soldier's very being. Or is it the other way round? Are they now feeding each other's pessimism?
The man has ceased to respond in any way when I sit beside him and pray over him, which I do more and more now as I so desperately need to be doing something positive. I rest a hand on the bowed head, not knowing if he can feel my presence, and offer up a benediction for I wonder how long he can continue in this way. My long-lasting regret will be that I can bring him no other form of comfort, that I do not have the easy words that Gervais says quietly to him.
He sits on the other side of the failing Musketeer and refuses to leave him. Gervais, the voice of reassurance; the strongest of us. He was here first and kept me company, helping to ease the long-drawn-out trauma of my passing. Together, we did the same for Guy, and I see and understand that that is what Gervais is doing now for the young man.
He encourages him as best he can to partake of the bread and water.
It's not time, not yet, not as long as Athos has the will to survive.
But when the time does come, Gervais and I can give him the Last Rites or at least the best that we can do under the circumstances. I can talk him through the Sacrament of Penance and hear his confession for I know his heart is heavy and that he believes his sins to be too heinous and too many to count, that they have driven a wedge between himself and the Almighty. If only he could know and accept how misguided he is! There is time enough for me to persuade him; all is not lost.
If he is not going to drink all of the water, then I can think of a better use for it and I can only hope that we will be forgiven for taking liberties, but I am sure God will understand that we are having to be creative because of where we are and what we have at hand. We will use it for the Extreme Unction and then, finally, in lieu of wine to accompany the bread in the Viaticum.
I smile to myself in immense relief for I have solved our predicament. Between us, Gervais and I can give the Musketeer the Last Rites.
When the time comes.