Being Magdalene Read Online Free Page B

must wait until we understand what has happened before we judge our daughter to have transgressed. Magdalene, explain, if you please.’
    It was difficult to speak. The three of them watched me. I tried several times before I could get words out. ‘I do not understand. There is nothing to explain. Neriah was crying. Sister Leah scolded her. She ran outside and Sister Leah told me to go and assist her.’ I looked at Father. ‘I obeyed.’
    Elder Stephen paused for another of his long silences. He might as well have shouted to the city that he believed me to be a liar, a transgressor and a rotten sinner. At last he said, ‘But that is not all, is it, Sister Magdalene? You talked to Neriah virtue, did you not?You spoke about why she was distressed. Sister Leah reports that you were gone for quite ten minutes. What did she tell you?’ He snapped the last sentence at me.
    Abraham tightened his hold on my shoulders. ‘Courage, little sister,’ he muttered.
    I raised my head. ‘We did not speak. I tried to comfort her by just being with her. She cried for a long time, and when she was calm I asked if she could talk about her trouble. She shook her head and we went back to class. I speak the truth. The Lord is my witness. What has happened to her? Please, tell me.’
    He didn’t believe me. Please, Lord, help me .
    ‘Thank you, daughter,’ my father said. ‘You were a true friend to a distressed girl.’
    Elder Stephen made a chopping motion with his hand. ‘No, Brother Caleb, she was not. Did you not think, girl, that it was your duty to discover what was causing the distress? You should have reported your failure to Sister Leah, who would have succeeded where you did not. As it is, you have grievously failed that unhappy girl and you have brought damnation upon her family. There will be consequences. It is my heavy duty to warn you that such dereliction of duty cannot go unpunished.’
    Mother’s moans rose into a wailing cry, but I couldn’t say a word to defend myself. It didn’t matter. Elder Stephen wouldn’t believe me anyway.
    He turned to go, but Abraham, his fingers digging into my shoulders, said, ‘One moment, Elder Stephen. With respect —’ he didn’t sound one scrap respectful — ‘I need to make sure I understand, because it seemsto me that the Rule has changed. Is that correct?’
    ‘No. It is most disrespectful of you to suggest such a thing. The Rule comes from the Lord. Do not question it.’ His voice was full of hate and venom.
    Abraham wasn’t bothered. ‘Okay. Good. So the Rule says a man’s deeds are between him and his conscience, does it not?’
    ‘You know it does. This has nothing to do with the matter in hand.’
    I closed my eyes, unable to look at our leader’s accusing face.
    Abraham said, ‘So you are going to punish Magdalene for obeying that Rule? You are saying she should have broken the Rule, ferreted out her friend’s secret and then told about it? Told who? Sister Leah? You? How was she meant to get hold of you, by the way? We do not have a telephone.’
    Mother sat at the table holding her head, swaying and keening. Father said, ‘That will do, my son. However, you are right to remind us of the teaching of the Rule. Elder Stephen, I ask you to explain my daughter’s transgression in this matter.’
    I couldn’t raise my eyes. I didn’t know silence could shout. I didn’t know it could be thick and choking. It was broken by Elder Stephen’s footsteps, by the noise of the door opening and closing behind him. I collapsed on to the floor. Mother was shouting at me, Zillah crouched beside me. ‘Don’t cry, Magdalene. Please don’t cry.’
    Father’s voice cut through the racket. ‘Abraham, thank you for reminding us of the Rule. We all needtime to pray and reflect. Please go to your rooms, my children.’
    ‘He didn’t even tell me what’s wrong. He didn’t even tell me if she’s all right.’
    Luke said, ‘He spoke about damnation. It must mean