Young Bleys - Childe Cycle 09 by Gordon R. Dickson Page A

because I was careless, to show me the results of my carelessness. That's why Father beat me. So I'll remember and never be careless that way again. And I won't."
    "But it's so . . . hard on you," said Bleys.
    "Hard?" Joshua shook his head. "But the way of God is always hard. It was as hard on Father as it was on me. But it was his God-given duty to see I was punished for being careless."
    Bleys became silent. Somehow, according to the thinking of Joshua and his father—and probably of Will as well and all the other members of their church in addition—there was a pattern and meaning to all this that justified what had happened to Joshua.
    He remembered the touch of gentleness he thought he had sensed in his uncle; when he had tried to go to Joshua afterwards, and Henry had stopped him in the main room of the house, to send him back to bed. Here, even Joshua was agreeing that what had happened to him was the right thing; and at the same time it was more horrible than Bleys could imagine.
    "When I have a family, finally," said Joshua, "I'll have to beat my own son when he deserves punishment. To do otherwise would not be to bring him up in the way of the Lord."
    Bleys nodded, hoping that Joshua would take this as a sign that he had understood. But he had not understood. His own newly kindled fear of Henry was still there and he still had to learn what he must do to feel safe in that household.
    He was left still uncertain, still insecure. But he stayed with Joshua, learning what Joshua had to tell him about the goats, as they rounded them up and took them in at the end of the afternoon to the bam.
    A part of his mind kept searching for an answer. There must be someone from whom he could get information. The pattern had to be there but questioning Henry to find it was unthinkable; and Joshua was evidently so deeply caught up in his faith already, that he could not describe what he took for granted, as he took gravity and the oxygen in the air for granted.
    Bleys also considered asking Will. But it struck him that between the younger boy's own terror at the time of Joshua's beating, and Will's youth, plus his immersion in the religious aspect of the household, that Will would not be useful either.
    Still, the pattern had to be there.
    On the way back to the barn, an idea came to him.
    "Who is the—" For one of the few times in his life, Bleys found himself searching for the proper word. He had no idea what these people called the leader of their religious practices. "Who's the pastor of your church?"
    "Pastor?" Joshua turned to stare at him, switching his attention off the goat he had just driven back in with the rest of the herd as they mobbed their way toward the stable.
    "Whoever's in charge of your religious services," said Bleys. His mind hesitated over the word priest and a strong instinct made him reject it. "The religious leader at your church."
    "Oh, you mean the Teacher," said Joshua. "Yes, he lives about two miles from here, right next to the church itself. His name's Gregg—it was something longer than that, but none of us could pronounce it properly, so he shortened it to Gregg."
    "I see," said Bleys, nodding.
    They took the goats the rest of the way into the barn and saw each of them stalled, each in its proper place. That night, just as they were finishing dinner, Bleys spoke to Henry.
    "Uncle," he said, "do you think it would be a good idea if I talked to the Teacher of your church? I need to learn from him."
    Henry put down his spoon and looked at Bleys. His eyes were once more the fierce eyes Bleys had first seen on meeting him at the spaceship terminal.
    "I am a Member of the Church; and I belong to God, myself. What questions do you need answered that I can't answer for you?"
    Bleys thought swiftly.
    "I want to understand—all about your church," he answered.
    Henry's gaze lost its terrifying intensity.
    "I see," he said. "If it's all about the church, then indeed you should talk to the Teacher.