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Back Mattimeo Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. CAPTURED!
  2. Other Books
  3. Title Page
  4. Map
  5. Introduction
  6. BOOK ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. BOOK TWO
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. BOOK THREE
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. What’s next onyour reading list?

That’s my friends doing battle beneath the ground!’

Then I turned on my wings and flew to see

How a mouse could make such a big sound!”

Basil came ambling up. “Oh, hullo, it’s you, the great flyin’ poetic feedbag. How are you, old chap? Hungry, I’ll wager. Wot?”

Matthias chuckled as he gave Mattimeo his sword to carry. “Come on, son, let’s go home!”

53

The Summer of the Golden Plain drew to a glorious finish, and the yellow flowers faded and died. Matthias had not returned to Redwall, but still Cornflower did not give up hope. She even pleaded with the Abbot not to name the season. Though Mordalfus had chosen Autumn of the Early Chestnut, he bowed to Cornflower’s wishes. Stryk Redkite had returned to her beloved mountains, and the orchard was beginning to get heavy with the rich harvest of fruit and berries.

Cornflower stood on the south wall and faithfully kept up her vigil with Mrs. Churchmouse and Rollo.

“See, the woodlands are turning brown and russet. Soon the hazelnut and acorn will be ready for gathering. We’ll miss Jess and Sam; nobeast gathers the nuts as well as a squirrel,” she said sadly.

“Aye, beechnuts too,” Mrs. Churchmouse added. “Remember last autumn, when all the young ones went into Mossflower nut-gathering? My Tim and Tess both had long sticks to knock them down from the low branches.”

Cornflower sighed. “My Matti got into trouble over the nut-gathering. He took his father’s sword from the gatehouse to rattle the branches with. Oh, I do wish he and Matthias were back, Mrs. Churchmouse.”

“If hopes were honey we’d have a cupboardful, Cornflower. Ah well, we’d best get indoors. It’s way past young master Rollo’s bedtime. Who’s on supper tonight?” Mrs. Churchmouse asked, to change the subject.

“Er, Sister May and Brother Trugg. It should be something nice. Come on, little Rollo, supper and bye-byes.”

The infant took Cornflower’s paw as they descended the wallsteps.

“A come t’morrer on wall?” he wanted to know.

“Yes, Rollo. We’ll come to the wall tomorrow, and all the tomorrows after that until my Mattimeo comes back. Do you remember Mattimeo?”

Rollo rubbed a tiny paw into his eyes. He was tired. “A’member ’timeo.”

*   *   *

Supper was good: redcurrant fritters and honeybread with hot elderberry cordial. The Abbey had been repaired after the bird damage, food was plentiful and the season was mild, yet a gloom hung over the Abbey without the presence of absent loved ones.

Cornflower sat late at table with Constance and the Abbot. Ambrose Spike had gone to his wine cellar, Mrs. Churchmouse and John had carried Rollo off to the dormitory, and all the other Redwallers had gone off to settle down for the night. The only sound was Winifred and Brother Rufus laying the trays out in the kitchen for next morning’s baking.