1500 Britain

Chapter 3

They hear an unusual noise, so they approach its source with caution, an old oak tree twisted by the trials of time. The noise happens to be a music tune that is playing repeatedly "Bunny Hopping". They wait but this continues incessantly. Music cannot come from an oak tree. That's impossible. There is something magical going on. Music is only heard in churches where there are organs, in castles that invite minstrels or in fairs. There is nobody here to play any musical instrument.

The brothers, accompanied by the sheriff and his escort of a dozen soldiers surround the oak tree.
"Fetch the culprit," the sheriff orders a soldier.
The soldier pulls out the object, as well as another curiosity that has numbers on it.
"I don't know what to make of this," the sheriff admits. "Let's ask the Breadsall prior."

The party heads for the priory, and present Robert Burton, a canon from the Repton Priory with the facts and the evidence. Also present is abbot John Derby.
The soldier carrying the objects, places them on the refectory table for everyone to examine.
The songs keeps repeating while the numbers on the other object change from time to time.
"Friar Derby, would you care to tell us your opinion?" the prior asks
Father Derby crosses himself and picks up the singing object as he distinguishes some protuberances on its side. He slides his finger on the smooth surface, the image of a hopping rabbit appears and that shocks everyone. He drops the object on the table and a voice says, "N'oubliez-pas c'est l'anniversaire de votre épouse demain. Faites lui une surprise."
The music stops, and the surface turns black.
"How could a rabbit be inside such a small object?" prior Burton says. "Surely it is the work of the devil!"
"I believe it is only an image of a rabbit," friar Derby says.
"Only the devil himself could make such a contraption."

"The voice expresses a message in French."
"And what does it say?"
"Don't forget, it's your wife's anniversary tomorrow. Surprise her."
"How could a tree or a rabbit have a wife? This is certainly the work of the devil."
"Should it be burned?"
"That is a French devil. I have seen the French worship the devils, the gargoyles and the demons in their cathedral. Friar Derby is a pure soul and he isn't affected by those evil objects. Who speaks French, other than you friar?"
"I don't know," answers the friar.
Robert Burton looks at everyone around. Ewan is uneasy.
"I bought wool from a young girl and she told me about a French stranger that was staying with her uncle." Ewan softly interjects.
"Let us find that girl," Robert Burton orders. "Is she far away?"
"She's half a morning away."
"Let's go then."
Everyone is curious; they begin the search.

Ewan can see the farm far way. He asks, "It would be better if I go alone at first. If the peasants see the soldiers, they will flee."
Having permission, Ewan walks to the pasture where he talks to Julian. She point to the place her uncle is working. Ewan meets Stacey who is willing to talk to Robert Burton and his retinue.
Ewan signals to come; Robert Burton addresses Stacey, "I understand you shelter a Frenchman. I need to talk to him."
"His name is Geoffrey," Stacey answers. "He doesn't live here anymore. He wanted to live closer to Leicester, so I found him a home there."
"We'll go there tomorrow morning."
"That suits me well because in the meantime my wife Alianor will sell our wool at the market."
Each returns home.

Next morning, the group heads for my new home near Leicester. It takes them seven hours to get there, but I'm at the market. Alianor goes to sell her wool at the market. The rest search the house and they find my things, my blue jeans, my underwear, my socks, my running shoes and my hoodie. A soldier inserts his hand in my jeans' pockets and he discovers my ballpoint pen, my notebook, my key ring and my pocketknife.
Friar Derby looks at the ballpoint pen, "This looks like some kind of a projectile."
"These Frenchmen are wicked, they use small projectiles that they can hide in their pockets," Burton says.
Next, they look at my notebook where I scribbled some notes and doodle a bit. Friar Dean adds a comment: "This looks like a dried-up bird with strange markings."
They can't figure out that the pocketknife has tools that can be flipped open.
"This is a metal circle," friar Derby observes at the sight of my key ring.
Friar Derby takes my underwear and he reads the inscription on the waistband, "It says Calvin Klein".
Stacey insists, "He told me his name was Geoffrey, may God be my witness."
"Then he must have stolen these underpants," affirms Burton.
"What kind of a man steals another man's underpants?" friar Derby asks.
"He's a Frenchman. That explains it," Burton says.