Death of an Icon

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"I cannot understand why the Abbot feels that he has to interfere in this matter," Father Maílín said defensively. "I have conducted a thorough investigation of the circumstances. The matter is, sadly, a simple one."

Sister Fidelma regarded the Father Superior of the small community of St Martin of Dubh Ross with a mild expression of reproach.

"When such a respected man as the Venerable Gelasius has met with an unnatural death, then it is surely not an interference for the religious superior of this territory to inquire into it?" she rebuked gently. "Portraits of the Venerable Gelasius hang in many of our great ecclesiastical centres. He has become an icon to the faithful."

Father Mailin coloured a little and shifted his weight in his chair.

"I did not mean to imply a censure of the Abbot nor his authority," he replied quickly. "It is just that I have carried out a very thorough investigation of the circumstances and have forwarded all the relevant details to the Abbot. There is nothing more to be said unless we can track down the culprits and that, as I pointed out, will be impossible unless, in some fit of repentance, they confess. But they have long departed from this territory, they and their ill-gotten spoils."

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