"He was my friend." "He gave us this cathedral." "We planned and argued" "and dreamed." "It seems impossible that he is gone." "He..." "William Hamleigh burned it down and murdered Tom." "He tried to burn me, too, but Alfred put out the flames." " He should hang for this!" " Who will arrest him?" "There is no king." "There is no queen." "There is no law in this land!" "There will be soon." "The war's over." "Maud and Gloucester have fled to France and Stephen is king again." "Oh, God!" "Oh, dear God!" " What?" " It was Maud who gave the license for the fair!" "It's over." "We're ruined!" "There is nothing left!" "Nothing?" "I need money for a horse and weapons!" "All my gold went to Philip to pay Maud." "And all my wool went up in flames!" "We are poor again, Richard!" "I need the money." "I can't buy weapons and pay men." "I can't..." "I can't fight for Stephen!" " What am I supposed to do?" " I can't support myself!" "I have done everything I could do!" "I have done enough!" "I want to replace him." "I'm a master builder." "Father gave me his tools." "I know the site and the plans." "You don't have the experience." "Neither did he when you hired him." "I have his ambition." "And I have his skill." "The men listen to me, and I'm willing to learn." " I need to pray on this, Alfred." " No, you need to think of the future." "I have." "Let me show you." " I want to vault the cathedral in stone." " That's impossible." " Tom said that wood is the only material..." " Wood is cheaper, yes, but it can burn." "That's how you lost the first cathedral." " Will the walls take the weight?" " Yeah, we can reinforce them." " I know more about stone than he ever did." " It will cost more and take longer." "But it will last forever." "That's the point, isn't it?" "That why you're building this church." "God's mark on history." "I can do it cheaper than Da." "You can pay me less." "He wanted to tell me something." " Who?" " Tom Builder." "But he went away." "What do you think Heaven's like?" "High up." "What else?" "Who do you think is there?" " My ma." " Yes." "Did Tom Builder go to see her?" "Yes." "Yes, he did." "He knew her?" "Tom Builder had a secret." "He didn't think I suspected, but, his daughter, Martha, confirmed it to me after he went away." "What secret?" "Tom loved your mother very, very much." "And he went to tell her what a wonderful boy you are." "And he went to build her a beautiful home." "And there will be a room in that home for you one day." "Although, you probably won't need it for a very long time." "All right, go to bed now." "Who are you writing to?" "The King." "There's talk of a crusade, and I want to volunteer." "As a knight?" "As a very poor one." "Oh, Alfred." "Come in." "Take a seat." "I've just been told I am to replace my father." "Congratulations." "He'd be proud." "I'll have a steady income." "Not as much as Da, but more than I made before." "So I've come to ask for your hand in marriage." " Alfred!" " I saved your life." " And I appreciate that." " I love you, Aliena." " Yes, but I will never..." " I promise to take good care of you, to help rebuild your business and support your brother's knighthood and continuing quest for the Earldom of Shiring." "You'd have to sell your house to maintain his position." "I've saved enough to let you keep the house and cover his expenses as knight and future earl." "I'll leave you alone to talk." "Whatever your decision..." "I'll abide by it." "You promised Father." "I swear that I will not rest until Richard is the Earl of Shiring and lord of the land that you once ruled." "Welcome to my poor home, Lord Archbishop." "Still a ruin with a roof, I see." "Kingsbridge needs the stone more than I do." "You'll never succeed me without a proper place to live." "Never mind going to Rome." "Succeeding you is farthest from my mind." "And Rome, just a dream." "I beg you once again, dear Lord, grant me your sweet favor." ""Lady Regan," ""as you well know, our political bets were entirely well-placed." ""Maud and Gloucester lost their battle and were forced to flee to France," ""where they now lick their wounds." ""Meanwhile, our dear King Stephen is back in power." ""You see, dear Lady, it was really wise of you to have sided with me again." ""However, I'd like to remind you" ""that our alliance is based on certain conditions," ""which I clearly presented you with at the Lincoln Chapel."" "I wish to be named Archbishop of Canterbury once Stephen regains his throne." "The current one will have to be removed, of course." ""My dear Lord Bishop," ""the surest way for me to sequester the Archbishop" ""is to bring him to Shiring on the pretext of performing some ceremony." ""Say, a marriage." ""I would need the King's permission for such a wedding," ""but I assume you have yet to give him my father's precious ring," ""else I would have heard from his gracious Majesty." ""You haven't spent it on your palace, have you?" ""His Majesty would be most unhappy to hear that."" "Why so sad, William?" "You've hardly left your bed since the battle at Kingsbridge." "I'm going to Hell, Mother." "My sweet William, I doubt that." "I killed a man." "I'll be hanged and I'll burn forever." "But Bishop Waleran forgave you in advance, my dainty." "Besides, it was a war." " You've killed hundreds in war." " It's not a proper war!" "It's very proper." "It's your war." " To win the title of earl." " A lost war, a useless war." "We're penniless." "Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." "There was a young lady you were drawn to at Maud's court." "And now, with Stephen in power, her family are in disfavor." "They want a marriage to an ally of Stephen's." "And Bishop Waleran assures me we'll soon be back in the King's good graces." "They have, by the way, a lot of money." "Who is it?" "Is she pretty?" "You thought so." "Is she a virgin?" "She's only 13." "Now tell me, whom do you hate the most?" "Aliena." "She didn't die in the fire like I wanted her to." "And what would you do to her?" "Have my way with her again and again until she does die." "And so you shall." "And whom do you love the most?" "You." "And what would you do to me?" "Fight him, Eustace!" "My finger!" "Where's your guts?" "Where's your noble blood?" " I don't like fighting!" " He's too much with his mother." "If it were up to women, there would be no wars." " Could you stomach that?" " Oh, never, Sire." "I feel so much better when I'm conquering an enemy." "I'm told it was your idea to substitute the farm boy with Eustace, by the way." "Oh, I suppose I should be grateful." "God inspired me, Your Majesty." "He speaks to me directly now." "He appeared to me in prison and told me in no uncertain terms that the sinking of the White Ship was part of his plan." "It was a terrible tragedy, Sire, but it made you king." "God's plans twist at times but always end up in the greater good." "Quite." "And in order to further that good, you might grant two small requests." "Lady Regan wants permission for her son to marry Elizabeth of Weymouth." "A generous fee will be paid to the Crown, of course." "I'll speak to God about it." "But I expect he'll say yes." "The second favor?" "The Archbishop of Canterbury is failing, Sire." "You'll soon need to name a successor." "Good!" "I didn't know he was ill." "Yeah!" "Now the right." "That's it, Henry." "Protect your mama from the evil Stephen!" "You let me win, Uncle Robert." "No, Henry, on my word of honor." "Your mother's right." "Soon you too will be fighting Stephen for our crown." "Today, on this third Sunday in July," "I announce the banns of marriage between Alfred, son of Tom Builder, and Aliena of Shiring." "They're to be married in two weeks' time." "May God's blessings descend upon them..." "No!" "She's mine." "You cannot take her." " You will not take her!" " Not here, Jack." "Aliena!" "Aliena!" "No!" "Get off me!" "Don't make me chain you, Jack!" "I must keep you here, for your own good, until the marriage is performed." "Now, I hope you can use this time to decide on whether or not you wish to remain a monk." "It is my path to God, but I see now that it might not be yours." "If you decide to leave, I understand." "But you will be banished from Kingsbridge forever." ""My dear Bishop, knowing of your interest in Jack Jackson," ""I write to inform you that he's being held in prison" ""due to an attachment he seems to have formed with Aliena of Shiring." ""She's soon to be married to Alfred, and Jack Jackson, now a monk," ""has expressed displeasure in rather violent terms." ""He will be kept in our basement cell until after the wedding ceremony."" ""Brother Remigius," ""ifwhat you say is true, God's wishes are clear." ""Jack Jackson's mother is a witch, and he's the Devil's offspring." ""His blasphemous stonework attests to that." ""For years, he has been an irritant to God's plan," ""and now God wants him stopped." ""Spice his dinner with the contents of the enclosed package," ""a pinch should suffice," ""and have it delivered to the prisoner by a monk he knows and trusts." ""Ego te absolvo." ""In the name of Jesus Christ."" "You'll be free this time tomorrow." "You ought to be happy." "She'll be wed this time tomorrow, Johnny." "I will never be happy again." "I'll be seeing these on my wedding night, boys." "Hey?" "Hey, hey!" "Get your hands off, hey?" "You better get us some of that!" "Oh, hey!" "Hey!" "Hey, boys!" "Hey, boys!" "On my wedding night, wait till she gets a hold of that." " Mother!" " Quiet." "The monks will hear you." " Who told you I was here?" " Young Martha sent word." "It broke her heart to hear you were imprisoned." "I think she's a little taken with you." "How did you get in here?" "The water channel runs under here." "It's how I visited your father and got pregnant with you." " My father?" " Yes, it was here." "The prior who accused him of stealing the chalice was the Prior of Kingsbridge, Prior James." "He died just before Philip took charge." "Philip was raised by Prior James." "So that's why you mistrust him?" "But he had nothing to do with Father's death, did he?" "Your father was brought here after they found him." "It was my fault that he was found." "So I decided to free him." "I left my convent and traveled here and bribed one of the monks, who revealed to me the secret entrance from the outside world." "I couldn't free him." "He was chained." "And all I could do was love him." "The next week, he was taken to another cell." "I didn't lay eyes on him until the day he was burned." "I wanted him to see his son." "Why would Prior James accuse him falsely?" "He was acting under orders, I'm sure." " Under whose orders?" " Who ever wanted your father silenced." "Whatever he knew, it died with him." "Unless it was somehow connected to his ring." " My ring that Alfred stole?" " Yes." "You love Aliena, don't you?" "She doesn't love me, Ma." "She said it was impossible." "Go to her." "Ask her why, then do what your father and I could not." "Run away together." "Eat something." "You need your strength." "Eat." "I wish this night could last forever." "I want to marry you." "Richard will hear." "We'll run away together." " I've lost my money, and you have nothing." " I've got my hands." "I can get work on any church in the world, I'm sure of it." "It's not enough." "I made an oath to my father that I would do everything to help Richard regain his title." "That might be never." "An oath's just words, Aliena." "It's nothing compared to this." "Come away." "I have to marry Alfred." "No." "No, I can't give you up again." " It's my duty, Jack." " No, your duty is to me." " What?" "What is it?" " Nothing." "It's you." "I will go away and you'll never see me again." "Is that what you want?" "Is it what you want?" "Jack!" "Jack!" "Drink this!" "It will get the poison out of you." "It was Alfred, wasn't it?" "He had one of the monks put something into your food." "Damn him!" "Wake up, William." "Wake up!" "Today is your special day." "Alfred, son of Tom Builder," "I take you as my husband and swear to be faithful, always." "William and Elizabeth, you are now married in the eyes of God." "Alfred and Aliena are now married in the eyes of God." " And may God's blessing..." " I curse this wedding!" "I curse this marriage with sorrow." "I curse this marriage with impotence!" "With hatred, with regret and bitterness." "Oh, God, you're lifeless!" "It's like making love to a corpse!" " What can I do?" " Enjoy it!" " Good morning, Archbishop." " Lady Regan!" "What a delight." "You're an early riser, too, I see." "I wanted to speak with you in private, if I may." "I have a rather troubling confession to make." "Well, I'm sorry." "Isn't Bishop Waleran your confessor?" "Yes." "But my sin is for the ears of the Archbishop of Canterbury himself." "I don't understand." "I have been asked to..." "I have been asked to commit a murder." "Oh, my dear." "By whom?" "Bishop Waleran." " Which is why I can't..." " Yes..." "I see." "He mustn't know that I've told you." "No, my dear." "My lips are sealed." "Whom does he wish you to murder?" "You." "So where will you go?" "I don't know." "France, maybe." "Search for Father's family." "Jack!" "Jack!" "I want to come with you!" "No, Martha." "He must go alone." "Canterbury's a much nicer palace and already built." " What do you want now?" " My son's title." "I've cleared the path for your ascent, and Stephen still hasn't confirmed William as Shiring's earl." " You promised he would." " Promises take time." "I've been waiting months for my confirmation as Archbishop." "You've been waiting all your life, and I doubt it ends at Archbishop." " Patience is a virtue..." " I have been patient with you for24 years!" "You'd burn for it, William." "Nonsense." "You forgave him all his crimes, remember?" "Slit his throat." "I'll talk to the King Sunday next when he visits Kingsbridge." " What brings him there?" " May Day." "Philip dedicates his cathedral." " It's finished?" " No, not nearly." "But it's been vaulted." "Thank you." "Hold it steady!" "That's it!" "Please, Alfred mustn't know." "He hasn't noticed." "Oh, the light!" "Thank you." "Plenty of place to worship." "It's a miracle they finished it in time." "They rushed it." "They only took down the false work" " this morning." " Like I said, it's a miracle." "Brother." "Is it too late to ask forgiveness?" "Kate." "Little sister." "You've prayed for this for a long time." "It's eating me away." "My life." "I want to serve God, like you." "The consecrated part of our cathedral is now, at last, vaulted." "We could not have come this far without the divinely-guided support of our good King Stephen, and our blessed Bishop Waleran, whose elevation to Archbishop of Canterbury we celebrate here today." "But equal honor is due to a man who is not here." "His name is Tom Builder, and his death casts a shadow on this day." "He would have been so very proud and happy." "Thank you, Prior Philip." "We have another honor to celebrate today." "I have been speaking with His Royal Highness, and he has given me permission to announce, with great pride and pleasure," "the confirmation of William Hamleigh as Earl of Shiring." "Yes!" "Yes!" "It's the roof!" "My Lord, this way!" "This way!" "Sweet Jesus!" "Why?" "She came to you for mercy, and this is your answer?" "I gave my life to you!" "Why did you kill my sister?" "Why Kate?" "Where's Aliena?" "I don't know." "Aliena!" "Aliena!" "Brother Thomas..." "Help me!" "Somebody!" "Brother, help us!" "No." "Whore!" "How many died?" "Seventy-nine." " And what caused it?" " No one knows." "It was Alfred Thomson's fault." "He took down the false work before the mortar had properly dried." "The Prior Philip order him to rush." "Don't blame Philip!" "The walls weren't strong enough!" " There'll be an examination!" " Silence!" "It is clear, Prior Philip." "Bad decisions were made." "And the ultimate responsibility for those decisions lies with you." "An investigation will be conducted, Eminence, and its conclusions will be weighed by your successor, when he is chosen." "There will be no successor." "King Stephen took today's misfortune as a sign from God." "He is reneging on his promise to name me Archbishop." "I am sorry." "Are you?" "Your pride betrays you, Philip." "It's pride that orders a roof of stones and denies culpability when it collapses." "I order you to resign as Prior of Kingsbridge, effective immediately." "With all due humility, my Lord Bishop, that must be put to a vote." "May I be heard, Your Eminence?" "The vault may indeed have collapsed because it was improperly built and rushed." "But those are merely material causes." "There is a divine cause, too, as there is in all things." "Oh, get to the point, Remigius." "The statue of St. Adolphus and the skull it carried were crushed." " Yes?" " This is my point, Your Eminence." "The vault fell on Philip's deception." "What are you talking about?" "I ask you, Philip, did the skull belong to St. Adolphus or not?" " Of course it did." " Let the prior speak." "I lied." "The original relic was destroyed in the fire." "I substituted another skull from the crypt." "Without the relic, or something like that, people wouldn't come to worship and the cathedral could not be built." ""Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit."" "There haven't been miracles for nearly 50 years." "I dare say the other skull was false, too." "That's blasphemy, Prior Philip!" "How did you know about this, Remigius?" " Were you spying?" " Enough!" "Enough!" "Philip has deceived us all." "Wasting thousands of pounds building a cathedral which should've been abandoned, and in the process, killing at least 79 people, including your sister, the whore." " She came to be shriven, Your Eminence." " Not in good time." "She will be buried now in unholy ground, which means Philip has sent her to Hell." "These are reasons enough, I think, for your monks to vote you out of office." "Your cathedral is done for." "Your ambition crushed." "This is what comes of arrogance, Philip." "Get out!" " This is my house!" " It's mine now!" "You married me!" " Alfred, please, I have nowhere else to go!" " That is not my affair." "You slept with Jack Jackson!" " Before we married." " When were you gonna tell me?" "Making love to Jack was the greatest sin I've ever committed." "And I ask God and you for forgiveness." "You are a whore and a liar and have made me a cuckold and a fool!" "It was also the only true good thing I have done in my entire life." "Ellen!" "I hear I have a grandson." "What happened?" "Alfred kicked me out." "You'll stay with me then." "Let me see him." "Well, there's no doubt he's Jack's." "He's small, but tough." "Tough like his grandmother." "May I?" "You have to find him, Aliena." "My grandson needs his father." " Where did he go?" "Do you know?" " To seek his own father's family." "To France?" "How..." "How could I possibly find him there?" "Do you love him?" "Yes." "Then you'll find him." "Thank you." "Where is the Church of Saint Denis?" "Follow the main road" "Thank you very much"