World Without End Page 0,334

as superstitious as ever.

Mark mentioned the news about Princess Joan to everyone he spoke to. Merthin answered one or two anxious questions about the plague, but the Kingsbridge merchants were more concerned that the collapse of the alliance with Castile would prolong the French war, which was bad for business.

Elfric sat on the big chair in front of the giant woolsack scales and opened the meeting. Mark immediately proposed that Merthin should be admitted as a member.

Not surprisingly, Elfric objected. "He was never a member of the guild because he did not finish his apprenticeship."

"Because he wouldn't marry your daughter, you mean," said one of the men, and they all laughed. Merthin took a few moments to identify the speaker: it was Bill Watkin, the house builder, the black hair around his bald dome now turning grey.

"Because he is not a craftsman of the required standard," Elfric persisted stubbornly.

"How can you say that?" Mark protested. "He has built houses, churches, palaces-"

"And our bridge, which is cracking after only eight years."

"You built that, Elfric."

"I followed Merthin's design exactly. Clearly the arches are not strong enough to bear the weight of the roadbed and the traffic upon it. The iron braces I have installed have not been sufficient to prevent the cracks widening. Therefore I propose to reinforce the arches either side of the central pier, on both bridges, with a second course of masonry, doubling their thickness. I thought this subject might come up tonight, so I have prepared estimates of the cost."

Elfric must have started to plan this attack the moment he heard that Merthin was back in town. He had always seen Merthin as an enemy: nothing had changed. However, he had failed to understand the problem with the bridge, and that gave Merthin his chance.

He spoke to Jeremiah in a low voice. "Would you do something for me?"

"After all you did for me? Anything!"

"Run to the priory now and ask to speak to Sister Caris urgently. Tell her to find the original drawing I made for the bridge. It should be in the priory library. Bring it here right away."

Jeremiah slipped out of the room.

Elfric went on: "I must tell guildsmen that I have already spoken to Prior Godwyn, who says the priory cannot afford to pay for this repair. We will have to finance it, as we financed the original cost of building the bridge, and be repaid out of penny tolls."

They all groaned. There followed a long and bad-tempered discussion about how much money each member of the guild should put up. Merthin felt animosity building up towards him in the room. This was undoubtedly what Elfric had intended. Merthin kept looking at the door, willing Jeremiah to reappear.

Bill Watkin said: "Maybe Merthin should pay for the repairs, if it's his design that's at fault."

Merthin could not stay out of the discussion any longer. He threw caution to the winds. "I agree," he said.

There was a startled silence.

"If my design has caused the cracks, I'll repair the bridge at my own expense," he went on recklessly. Bridges were costly: if he was wrong about the problem, it could cost half his fortune.

Bill said: "Handsomely said, I'm sure."

Merthin said: "But I have something to say, first, if guildsmen will permit." He looked at Elfric.

Elfric hesitated, obviously trying to think of a reason for refusing; but Bill said: "Let him speak," and there was a chorus of assent.

Elfric nodded reluctantly.

"Thank you," said Merthin. "When an arch is weak, it cracks in a characteristic pattern. The stones at the top of the arch are pressed downwards, so that their lower edges splay apart, and a crack appears at the crown of the arch on the intrados - the underside."

"That's true," said Bill Watkin. "I've seen that sort of crack many a time. It's not usually fatal."

Merthin went on: "This is not the type of cracking you're seeing on the bridge. Contrary to what Elfric said, those arches are strong enough: the thickness of the arch is one twentieth of its diameter at the base, which is the standard proportion, in every country."

The builders in the room nodded. They all knew that ratio.

"The crown is intact. However, there are horizontal cracks at the springing of the arch either side of the central pier."

Bill spoke again. "You sometimes see that in a quadripartite vault."

"Which this bridge is not," Merthin pointed out. "The vaults are simple."

"What's causing it, then?"

"Elfric did not follow my original design."

Elfric said: "I did!"

"I specified a