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May 27th, 1887– Rennes-Le-Château – The Priest Rivière
There can be in no doubt that Saunière had led a very interesting life, I remember how fascinated I was when Saunière told me about the steps leading to his discovery.
‘The incident took place after the stone depicting the knights on horseback was lifted. Beneath I found a single skull. I dismissed Ellie Bot and his workman and later returned to dig farther in secret. The church was shrouded in gloom with the only light came from the moonlight penetrating weakly through the single window not boarded up. I locked the church door, which now shut properly thanks to the carpentry skills of Ellie Bot, and lit the two lanterns I had placed inside the church earlier. I positioned the lamps beside the rectangle hole left by the removal of the knight’s stone and dug away earth heavy with water until I struck stone. When I had cleared away the muddy earth, I discovered a large gravestone. The few words that had been chiseled into the surface over the top of its original inscription, that someone had taken time to all but remove, could just be made out faintly, but the newer inscription stood out starkly, the grooves of the words being filled with dark moist soil, REGALIS CRYPTA - Royal Crypt. The gravestone was old, but what Royal could possibly be buried here? I knew Rhedae was what some thought was the ancient name of the village. If any bodies of the Royals’ were interred here, then perhaps they were the Royals of Rhedae. Their treasure, or a portion of it, might have been buried with them. I was certain with the mention of a Royal Crypt that something of great value lay hidden beneath the gravestone. However, the slab was too heavy for me to lift by hand, so using some lengths of timber and a mason's pry bar I managed to lift and slide the slab to one side, revealing a dark opening underneath. The smell of ancient decay that wafted out was an indication it was as the inscription suggested; a crypt.’
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Like many living in the area at the time, I had heard the rumors that Saunière had found a crypt under the church, but he had always refused to confirm this. His late night excavations, like many of his unusual activities, had been the source of much speculation. Looking at Saunière as he remembered, I knew by the expression on his face it was only his body lying ill in his bed, his mind had left him to travel back in time, back to the church and the crypt to relive the moment.
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‘Though cold in the church, the air that rose out of the hole was colder still. I shivered as a chill swept through my bones. I shone one of the lamps into the opening. The light revealed stone steps, green with dampness, leading down into darkness. Eager to discover what lay below, I placed a foot on the top step and slowly started my descent.
The smell of dampness and decay was strong in the small chamber I found below. The air, trapped down here for so long, was musty and stale and so cold every breath I exhaled was visible in the chilled air. Though I wasn't sure what to expect, when I held up the lantern, the disappointingly small crypt highlighted was not it. Water seeped through the church floor and dripped from the vaulted ceiling to form small puddles on the cobblestone floor. Four decaying coffins occupied the four alcoves set into the damp, slime-covered walls. I was disappointed to see no obvious signs of treasure.
I approached the nearest alcove to examine the decaying casket that had become so weak it had collapsed to reveal the yellowed bones of its occupant. The skull had rolled onto the floor where its eyeless sockets seemed to be watching me. The damp atmosphere had spawned fluffy spores of wet rot to breed in abundance, covering what little wood of the coffin remained. Sending out creeping fingers of mold, it had crept over the fleshless bones and spread over the damp brickwork, reaching and covering some of the inscription carved into the stone lintel above the alcove. Raising the lamp higher, I saw parts of the occupant's name, Baron and Blanchefort. Underneath this, the year of his death was visible, 1752.
I moved along to the next alcove. Here there remained no evidence of a casket, only a covering of furry spores. If the body had been buried in one, like the burial clothes it once wore; all had become food for mold and decay. With no skin or muscle left to hold the carcass together, all that remained were a heap of bones. But what really caught my attention was what was missing, the skull.
I looked on the floor to see if it had fallen from the alcove like the previous one, but it was nowhere to be seen. I turned my attention to the inscription above, but it had been removed; all that remained were the chisel marks that had struck it from the stone. This puzzled me. I then remembered the skull I had found buried under the carved flagstone, I wondered if it had come from down here, from this skeleton. But if so, why?
I shone the lamp over the bones and noticed something lying beside them. The long, rusty stain on the brickwork and the remaining rust cankered hilt was all that remained of the sword placed next to the body so long ago.
The third coffin was much more interesting. The inscription above it informed me it belonged to Marie Darles Dame d'Hautpoul De Blanchefort. The inscription further informed me that she had died on January 17th, 1781 aged 67. She must have been the last person interred down here. Her coffin was in far better condition than the previous two. Although some of the wood had rotted away, enough remained to keep its shape. I reached out to touch the lead lining of the rotting casket showing through. As far as I could tell, it remained sealed, so there was a good chance that whatever was inside would have withstood the ravages of time.
Having brought no tools down with me, I climbed the stairs and grabbed the pry bar from the church floor. I placed the lantern on the alcove shelf and gripped the foot end of the coffin to slide it forward so I could rest it on the floor to make it easier to remove the lid. It was heavier than I had anticipated. The slime on the alcove shelf caused the coffin to slide. Unable to hold back the unbalanced weight the casket slid to the floor with a crash. The remaining bits of wooden shell broke away, some of it so rotten it crumbled to dust. The lead casket burst open to reveal the mummified body contained within. A waft of ancient corpse mixed with stale air enveloped me, taking away my breath and causing me to gag. I stepped away to recover and stared at the grisly remains of the dead body thrown half out of its box like a gruesome rag doll. Taut dry skin stretched over her skull and hands. Brown shoulder length hair draped the face. The once white burial gown, though yellowed with age, still looked in fair condition. Splashes of color could still be seen on the small-embroidered flowers across her chest and around the end of the sleeves. I then noticed something glinting and knelt to brush aside the wispy hair from around her neck to reveal the glint of gold. I smiled as I pulled back the collar to see a small gold chain, a necklace. Through the material of the dress, I noticed an unusual shaped lump hinting at the object fixed to the chain. I dragged the object out and stared at the ugly piece of jewelry crudely shaped like a spider. Crafted from gold was the only thing in its favor. I let it drop back around the corpse's neck while I searched the rest of the corpse, but found nothing more.
Disappointed by the lack of treasure, I placed all of my hopes on the final coffin. There was no inscription carved into the lintel. I lifted its lid to discover it was a rotten shell that fell to pieces with my touch. I jumped back when it collapsed into a heap of decomposed wood to reveal the dirty brown skeleton inside. I searched the remains for anything of value but again found nothing.
I glanced around the crypt. Perhaps if there was any treasure down here, it was hidden in a secret room or cavity. I searched the walls for any sign of a loose piece of masonry or a bricked-up opening. I even tapped the walls with the metal pry bar and listened for any hint of a hollow space behind. After an hour of unsuccessful searching, I gave up. There was no treasure.
As I prepared to leave, the lamplight glinted off the spider necklace still around Marie d'Hautpoul's neck. I stared at it and then at the face of the corpse that now seemed to be smiling at me, mocking my fruitless search for wealth. I grabbed hold of the necklace and snatched it from around her throat. I turned to leave, but when I reached the bottom of the stairway, I stopped and glanced back at the corpse. A pang of guilt washed over me. I walked back over to the corpse, reverently placed it back in the lead coffin and sealed the lid back in place as best I could. It was too heavy to lift back onto the alcove, so I had no choice but to leave it on the floor. With one last look around the cold musty crypt, I climbed the stone steps to leave the dead in peace once more.’
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Returning to the present, Saunière had turned to look at me. He told me he had been confused why someone would go to the trouble of inscribing the gravestone to mark it as a royal crypt when all it contained were those that as far as he could tell were not Royals.
I had shrugged my shoulders. I had become fascinated by his story and was more than a little intrigued to see where it was leading. I encouraged him to continue, and after a few words, he had drifted back in time again.
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‘Disappointed as I was that night, the following day I was back on the trail of the treasure. Marie had pointed me in the right direction. Fed up with living at Antoinette Marce's and paying the high stipend she demanded for the room, I had Ellie Bot carry out some repairs to the presbytery so I could live there. It was not very comfortable, but it was good to have my own space again. I sat in the kitchen looking at the ugly spider necklace when Marie entered. She had, as was usual, brought me a hot meal. As soon as she saw the necklace, she recognized it.
“It's just like the one on the gravestone,” said Maria, nonchalantly, as she placed the plate of rabbit stew on the table in front of me.
I stared at her. “What did you say, Marie?”
She took the necklace and examined at it before handing it back.
“It’s the same as the one carved on a gravestone in the cemetery.”
“Are you certain?”
Marie shrugged. “I think so. It certainly seems the same. You must have walked past it many times.”
“You must show it to me.” I stood and headed for the door.
“Sit down and eat, Father. There’s no rush. It has been there for many years and will wait until after you have eaten.”
I glanced at the meal. It smelt delicious and I was hungry. Marie was right, it would still be there after I had eaten. “You are right as usual Marie. First I will eat and then we visit the graveyard.”
As was her custom, she sat down at the table to keep me company while I ate. Picking up the necklace, she looked at it again. “Where did you get this?”
I stared at Maria wondering if I should tell her.
“Can you keep a secret?”
Marie nodded excitedly. She had become infatuated with me as I had with her, a secret shared could only bring us closer together. I told her everything, what I had found buried under the church floor and in the crypt. To my surprise, Marie was not shocked and from that day onwards she was always by my side. She knew all my secrets, well nearly all; there were some things she was better off not knowing. She never revealed them to anyone.
After I had finished my meal, she took me to the graveyard...
“There it is,” said Marie, pointing at an old gravestone.
I stared at the slab of stone by the wall of my church just inside the entrance to the graveyard. She was right, I had passed it many times without giving it a second glance. But in my defense, through many years of neglect, the weeds had encroached over the grave. I pulled aside the tall weeds and examined the spider carving situated at the base of the stone. It was identical to the necklace. It too, crudely depicted. I read the inscription on the tomb, finding it unusual. The date of her death was incorrect, and the inscription seemed to be labeling her a whore. Something was wrong. Also, she is buried in the crypt so why was there a gravestone marking her grave here?
I let the weeds fall back into place and turned to Marie who had leaned forward to read the inscription. Her face was close to mine, almost touching. I stared into her eyes and then leaned closer. She became breathless and did not resist when our lips found each other's. It was not a kiss of passion. That would come later; it was a kiss of two people in love for the very first time. A love that would endure for many years to come and would only end when both were finally laid to rest.
We parted our brief embrace.
Marie smiled sheepishly. Her cheeks flushed. It had been her first kiss.
“Well done, Marie, you were right. Somehow the necklace and this tombstone are connected. I have a strong feeling it is a clue.”
“A clue? A clue to what?”
“I am not sure, but we must return when it is dark so we will not be seen and do some secret digging. I think we are on the verge of an amazing discovery.”
“It’s all so exciting,” she uttered, as she followed me out of the cemetery and back to the cottage.
That night we made love.’
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Saunière had paused, turned to me and asked if I was shocked by his affair with Marie.
I told him that I was not. He had hardly kept his relationship with the girl a secret. Like most people who knew them, it was only too apparent Marie was much more than just his housekeeper.
He told me he knew Marie will miss him when he is gone. As well as his lover, she had also been a dear friend and faithful companion. They loved each other dearly. That they shall be parted by his death was his only regret. Otherwise, he should die a happy man.
He was silent for a few moments before continuing, “Marie would do anything for me, even grave robbing.”
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‘Having removed the gravestone, I set to work digging and before long my spade struck something. At first, I thought it must be a coffin, but after brushing away the soil I saw that whatever it was it was encased in lead, just like Marie d'Hautpoul's body in the crypt. I dug around it to find the edges. It was too small to be a coffin, even that of an infant. Eventually, I had freed it enough to lift out. Because of the lead, it was heavy for its size. After placing it to one side I dug deeper to see if anything else was hidden but found nothing more. After filling the grave back in and replacing the gravestone, I picked up the chest and joined Marie at the churchyard entrance.
“What have you found?” asked Maria, seeing something stuffed under my arm.
“A chest. Let's go home and find out what is inside.”
We excitedly made our way back to the cottage.
I lost no time in opening it. I used a knife to lift up the edges of the lead lid until I could remove it. The top of an ornately carved wooden chest was revealed. The lead had protected the chest and prevented it from rotting away in the damp earth. After pulling the lead away from the wooden box where the weight of the earth had crushed it, I was able to lift out the small chest. We both examined the carvings decorating the box. It looked old. The chest had three scenes from the bible carved on it. The front panel was of the last supper. The back panel depicted Jesus being taken down from the cross. I sensed something was wrong with the image but was unable to discern what. The carving on the lid was the strangest of all, it showed an empty tomb. The two smaller end panels were the same, each decorated with the symbol of the Knights Templars, a red, cross pattee. The red of these crosses the only color on the chest. The box had no lock but a simple brass clasp, which I released and before opening it I looked at Marie.
“What wonders shall we find hidden inside do you think?”
“I have no idea. Open it and we shall find out,” she replied excitedly. Marie had never done anything like this before and she was enjoying every single minute.
I ran my fingers over the carvings and then onto Marie's hand. I stared into her eyes. “This chest has probably been buried for centuries. Everyone who has ever touched it is dead. We are almost certainly the only two people alive who know of its existence. Who knows what treasure or secrets are hidden inside, but whatever we find it will be ours. We are together now Marie, our fates are entwined. I love you now and I will love you always.”
A tear of happiness rolled down her cheek. The man before her had just made her the happiest woman alive. She leaned forward to kiss me gently. “I love you too so very much. I will always be yours whatever happens and wherever fate takes us.”
We kissed again and embraced, holding each other for a while, enjoying the moment. Finally, we parted.
“Now, I suppose we had better see what's inside.”
Marie nodded eagerly.
We both gazed in anticipation at the chest when I raised the lid.
The first things we saw were two rolled parchments. I lifted them out, noticing they had survived the ravages of time surprisingly well. Beneath the scrolls was a small amount of treasure: gold and silver coins and a few pieces of jewelry. I lifted out a necklace that seemed Visigoth in design and placed it around Marie's neck. She was thrilled with the gift and rewarded me with a kiss.
Though pleased with the treasure in the box, I knew it would contribute little to the grand scheme I wished to carry out in my church. I unrolled one of the parchments and after examining it for a moment I smiled and knew everything would be okay.
“What is it,” Marie asked.
“A treasure map, my darling. But not just any treasure, one, which if the legends are true, could be very vast indeed.”
“Whose treasure is it?” Marie asked excitedly, grabbing my arm.
“The lost treasure of the Knights Templar!”’