The Poisoned Chalice
“In the grey light of a winter dawn, he went first to the hospital of St John to see whether Fitzosbern had survived the night or whether he had a murder on his hands. Brother Saulf was in the cell when he arrived and looked as if he had been there all night. ‘He is much better, Crowner, after throwing up most of his guts into a bucket, thanks to the salt-water purges.’ John looked past the monk and saw Godfrey, deathly pale, lying motionless on his side. ‘He looks dead to me,’ he said dubiously....
‘No, he’s asleep now – a proper sleep, not the twitching coma you saw last night.’ ‘Has he spoken at all?’ The Saxon brother shook his head. ‘Only the muttered gibberish we heard when he first came here. Let him sleep then we’ll see if his senses have returned.’ He shut the door firmly, keeping John and himself outside. ‘Do you think he was truly poisoned?’ asked John.
‘It seems likely, but he might also have had some kind of apoplexy, though I’ve not seen one quite like this before.’ With that, the coroner had to be satisfied, but at least it looked as if Fitzosbern would live to sin another day.MoreLess
‘No, he’s asleep now – a proper sleep, not the twitching coma you saw last night.’ ‘Has he spoken at all?’ The Saxon brother shook his head. ‘Only the muttered gibberish we heard when he first came here. Let him sleep then we’ll see if his senses have returned.’ He shut the door firmly, keeping John and himself outside. ‘Do you think he was truly poisoned?’ asked John.
‘It seems likely, but he might also have had some kind of apoplexy, though I’ve not seen one quite like this before.’ With that, the coroner had to be satisfied, but at least it looked as if Fitzosbern would live to sin another day.MoreLess
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