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a novel by Eric Melma

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Chapter 2

Astrology study in Avignon

A few months later, Michel, who was sixteen by now, went to Avignon to study astrology. His parents had reluctantly given him permission to make this unusual choice for his university studies. Avignon was only twenty miles away from Saint Rémy, so he would be able to easily visit his parents and brothers. Avignon was a very important town, because the Papal Palace was situated there. From 1304 on, there had been a series of French popes and these religious leaders all went to live in Avignon, because their chance of survival in Rome was not great. The French town and its surroundings had been papal property ever since. Jacques had heard from a client that Mrs. Plombier, whose husband had died of the plague six months earlier, was moving to Avignon with her daughters, to live with relatives. Michel could get a ride, provided that he would help the widow with her household goods. That was no problem for him and they set a date. Mrs. Plombier had been cleaning her house that last week and all her possessions were packed up and waiting for her young fellow traveler. Michel knocked on her door on the day of departure, and began to fill up the old, rickety wagon according to her instructions. With the next-door neighbors unexpectedly rolling up their sleeves as well, the whole lot was quickly loaded. The madame then took her place on the driver’s seat and, with the two girls, they drove to the Rue des Remparts, so their companion could say goodbye to his family. They were all anxiously waiting, while the widow, who was not very experienced, brought the horse to a halt. Michel jumped down from the wagon and embraced his father and mother. The latter was looking very sad.
“It seems like saying goodbye is becoming a regular occurrence”, Reynière lamented with tears once again streaming down her beautiful face.
“I’ll come and visit soon,” her son promised.
“You’d better,” said Father, who gave him a hug. When the brand-new student had said goodbye to his brothers too, it was time to leave. Everyone waved until the horse and wagon had disappeared from sight. Not far outside Saint Rémy it began to pour. The rain was coming down in buckets and it got dark so fast it was scary. The female driver, fortunately, was prepared for rain and with Michel’s help she stretched a canvas over the wagon. When lightning struck, the horse became restless and the widow kept control of it with great difficulty. Her daughters, aged five and seven, were hunkered down deep beneath the canvas. Soon, the path became barely passable because of the abundant amount of rain water and it looked like they might be in trouble. Half-way through the journey they could see frightening fires on both sides of the road. Bodies were being burned. The plague, the greatest disaster in the history of mankind had once again exacted its price and the horrifying disease raged through all of Europe. Madame already knew, as no other, what those fires were for. Her husband had been cremated not long ago in order to prevent the plague from spreading more. But she bravely held on, and kept driving. Suddenly, they heard shrieking in the distance, someone seemed to be calling for help. They decided to ignore it and to keep going. It kept raining unusually fiercely and to make matters even worse, a vicious wind began to howl. The horse could scarcely get the wagon to move forward anymore and continually slipped in the mud. It was getting tired and every meter was a victory. Gradually, a violent storm developed and there were branches and shrubs flying across the road.

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