Page 161 - Brokenclaw - John Gardner

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to the question.’

‘You’d have scored a lot of brownie points had you been with the Spanish
Inquisition.’ Bond looked him straight in the eyes, unblinking.
Brokenclaw gave a throaty laugh. ‘I think you’ll find there is a pretty irony
in our method of inquisition. You should appreciate it.’
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‘Really?’ He sounded more interested than afraid, though warning sirens of
an unspeakable horror to come were already sounding in his head.
‘Yes.’ Brokenclaw looked relaxed and quite at ease, as though he had all the
time in the world. ‘Your code names. Well, General H’ang’s code names

really, Peter Abelard and Héloise. A nice touch. You are familiar with your
history books, Captain Bond? You remember the story of Abelard and Héloise,
and what happened to them? You know all that?’
‘Not intimately, no. Just a kind of rough outline.’
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Brokenclaw chuckled. ‘Oh, yes, it was rough. But in the eleventh century,
they were rough and ready. They were not squeamish. Peter Abelard was a
theologian who scandalised the church, not only by his philosophy and
theology, but also by his affair with, and possible marriage to, Héloise. He

was declared a heretic, and unhappily, the beautiful Héloise was the niece of a
very influential priest, Canon Fulbert of Notre-Dame. Poor Héloise, she ended
up in a nunnery. Abelard was disgraced and spent the rest of his days in the
Abbey of Saint-Denis.’ He gave a broad smile. ‘I like the disgrace part myself.

Peter Abelard was castrated, Captain Bond. Neutered. Lost his manhood. I’m
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sure we’ve talked of this before.’
‘I believe it was mentioned.’
‘Then, Peter Abelard, I suggest that you answer all our questions. Tell us

what we need to know and tell us quickly; tell us what information your
masters have about us, about where we are, about Jericho. We do not ask
much.’
Bond returned Brokenclaw’s smile and shook his head.

‘What a pity, James Bond. What a great pity, because when we have done
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what must be done, there will be no abbey in which you can hide. In fact, there
will be little of you left. When you see what we have ready for you, then I think
even you will change your mind.’ He leaned back into the passageway and

snapped his fingers.
Two armed men, Chinese and wearing some kind of grey uniform, came into
the little room.

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