What happened to Isaac?

The next day, Sunday.

This day is a rare good weather. It cleared up for an hour early in the morning. I thought it would continue to be hot, but it was cloudy, cloudy and misty, humid but not rainy.

Such a fine weather, if it is in Kensington, Xavier must go out for a walk.Today, however, he was extremely tired. He slowly replied to another letter from Gordon urging him to return to work, and sat at the window with a cup of hot tea all morning.

"It's like living in old age." He sighed.

"I can't imagine what you'll look like when you're old," said Isaac. "British man, will you be bald?"

Xavier is always overly sensitive to the issue of hair and feathers, if he hears this usually, he might jump up.But today, he just shook his hands, pretended to calmly blow the tea, rolled his eyes, and didn't say a word.

Isaac frowned: "You are really sick, Xavier."

Xavier didn't answer, just looked out in a daze.

Today is Sunday, and the monastery is obviously busier than usual, and nuns can also be seen, most of them are busy with the Holy Communion.

If you were in a factory or a manor, you must have been in a row by now, but the situation in the monastery is completely different.Although the rules are not so strict that sign language communication is required during meals, if there is no unnecessary conversation, everyone will not speak by default.So even with so many people coming and going, it was almost silent as a pantomime.

Everything is so orderly, if the conservative dean stands at the window and sees this scene, he must feel very relieved.

"What do you seem to be waiting for?" Isaac asked.

"Wait for someone," said Xavier.

As soon as the words fell, there was a knock on the door.

**

Isaac went to open the door, and the dean stood at the door, looking in, and asked, "Is Mr. Xavier there?"

Isaac walked away from the door, and Xavier didn't stand up to say hello when he saw the dean, but just nodded slightly, for fear that others would not see his pale lips.

"My God, what's the matter with you?" the dean asked.

"Louie said it might be an ulcerative stomach."

"Louis, oh, Louie... he's believable, so that's about it. Seriously? You don't look too well."

"It is said that it is not serious, please worry about it," Xavier said, "please sit down first."

The dean waved his hand: "I'm here today to discuss something with you, and I'll leave after I finish talking."

He hesitated to speak, looked at Isaac frequently, and Xavier said, "It's okay, don't avoid him."

"So, with all due respect," said the Dean, "there are two things I wonder if there is some misunderstanding: Scotland Yard replied that Li Qiming had not been reported missing, and that you—although you still have legal papers— But I don’t work with them anymore.”

Xavier didn't say a word, but smiled calmly, as if he had a winning ticket, and he could immediately block Dean Robert with a few words.However, some scenes are invisible to humans, such as the angels are actually so embarrassed that they even retract their wings.

Of course he didn't explain, he had nothing to explain.He had expected this moment from the moment he decided to come to the monastery to find out, but this day came sooner than he expected.

After a moment of silence, the dean added another dimension: "Then, your ID must be..."

The embarrassment filled the room like the smoke from a steam engine, choking the chest tight and short of breath, and I couldn't help but want to cough.

"...That's right." Xavier raised his head and stared into the dean's eyes. "Maybe you have already decided in your heart that I am an unreasonable liar, but I do have evidence that Detective Li disappeared."

Although Xavier's blue eyes made it difficult to say no, Dean Robert was too old to be swayed by handsome men.

He frowned in embarrassment, and seemed to have difficulty opening his mouth. After hesitating for a while, he said regretfully: "Mr. Xavier, I don't mean to accuse you, but it's best to follow the procedure of the case—follow the formal procedures. I have worked in Scotland Yard and of course know the laws of Great Britain better than I do. Get your evidence ready and report the case, Mr. Xavier. If the disappearance is really related to the Abbey, it will not be too late to come back. The building and the monks and nuns in it are always It won't go away."

The dean said, crossing his chest tremblingly: "Is Detective Li really missing? Sometimes something important happens at home, and it's too late to say goodbye to friends one by one... I hope this is a misunderstanding. If he Believe in religion, God will bless him."

Xavier hummed noncommittally, then fell into deep thought.He deliberately extended his thinking for a long time, in extreme silence, as if he was making an extremely difficult decision.

After a while, he said: "Okay. Actually, I wanted to find an opportunity to tell you two days ago that my physical condition has been so bad recently that none of the original medicines worked. I am going back to London to find a more professional doctor. .”

Seeing that Xavier took the initiative to take the initiative to take the step, the dean's expression became softer: "Indeed, the body is important. Sigh... It's not that I want to drive you away, Mr. Xavier. But think about it differently, Monks and nuns see detectives haunting the monastery, even innocent people will be disturbed. If it is convenient, you may write to me after you recover, and before that, I will pray for you every day."

Xavier thanked Dean Robert politely. The latter softened his tone and said that he could understand Xavier's eagerness to find someone, but one should not lie before God. If he needs to confess for this, it may be today.

"Have you taken communion this year?" asked the Abbot.

Xavier said not yet, and the abbot suggested that he go to the confessional to confess before Mass, and then take communion before leaving.

"As for Mr. Isaac..." the dean turned to Isaac.

"He's not religious," Xavier explained in Isaac's place. "Just let him wait in the room?"

All three people present had no objection to this arrangement, of course, excluding the tail that was clearly flicking around in displeasure—no way, non-religious believers cannot receive Holy Communion, let alone this is a demon?

"Okay, then—"

Dong dong, a sudden knock on the door interrupted Dean Robert's next words.When he opened the door, it turned out that Gavin was standing outside the door. Seeing that it was Xavier who opened the door, he greeted timidly and asked, "Is Dean Robert here?"

"I'm here," the dean greeted him, "what's the matter, Gavin?"

"Great..." Gavin took a long breath, "I'm sorry, I think I may have lost the prescription given by the doctor, and now I don't know what dosage to take."

"Where's Louis?"

"I can't find out where he is."

"God, Gavin, you are so stupid, you don't even know how to cherish your own body, how can you talk about serving God?" The dean reproached, "Fortunately, I can remember it for you, I hope my old man remembers correctly. Just in case, I think it would be best to look for the prescription with you again, there is no mistake in black and white. Oh, Mr. Xavier, look at this..."

"It doesn't matter, it's still early before the mass, and Gavin's matter is more important," Xavier said, "But... Regarding the confession, although the priest behind the curtain will keep it secret for me, I hope that you will sit behind .Perhaps I can wait for you in the confessional?"

"No problem." The dean smiled apologetically, said excuse me, and led Gavin away chattering.

"Like two sheep," said Isaac.

Indeed, there was a strange unity between the two of them, with lowered heads and brows, as if an old sheep were herding a lamb.

**

Xavier and the dean came out of the confession room, the bells of the clock tower were slowly echoing, mixed with the rustling of forest birds' wings.Dusk is approaching, and the long and narrow moon shadow has already been drawn on the sky, like a person secretly laughing.Through the promenade, swallows perched on the branches and sang, and music came from the chapel not far away.

In such a sacred and peaceful environment, Xavier didn't feel very good.In fact, before going to the confessional, he experienced mild nausea, numbness and pins and needles, and this progressive discomfort intensified as he walked.

In order to concentrate and avoid causing panic by suddenly falling down in the chapel, Xavier took the initiative to bring up a topic: "Dean Robert, I have a question to ask you. Will devout believers be saved?"

"Mr. Xavier, you are also a religious person, how can you have doubts about it," said the Abbot, "but I can tell you that it is true. If the man redeemed his sins before he left, the gates of heaven must be opened to it.”

Xavier nodded slowly, a drop of cold sweat dripping from the nape of his neck into his neckline.