“Good evening, my dear Baudet. Punctuality is a quality to be admired.” Without offering wine, he announced, in a businesslike way, “I have dispensation to miss evening mass, anticipating your arrival. Put down your bag. We have an audience with the abbot. It will not last long.”
“Abbot Henri?” Baudet asked, wide-eyed.
“Why, yes. It is normal for Father Abbot to greet new novices, so do not worry. He has instructed Prior Delbert to officiate at mass on his behalf. Come along.”
Henri looked up from the bible on his lap. Baudet had just time to take a cursory glance around the abbot’s sparsely-furnished study, that was not particularly different from the prior’s, before concentrating on the elderly man sitting in an armchair by a blazing fire.
“Novice Baudet, welcome to our Benedictine c
