The Anchoress

Early one winter’s morning, Ranaulf lets himself out of the priory and heads toward the village—by the shorter, rougher path, hoping that he will thus save enough time to read religious texts in the afternoon. He resents being sent to the anchoress and would prefer to focus on his work in the scriptorium. But Prior Walter did not give him a choice. Ranaulf feels inadequate to the task of guiding a woman, and even a bit fearful about having to spend time with one. Since childhood, his religious training encouraged him to see women as “daughters of Eve, gateway[s] of sin, foul fleshed, deformed male[s].” He feels uncomfortable when a peasant woman notices him passing by and crosses herself. And he impatiently shoos away little Eleanor and her pesky questions when he arrives in the village.

When Ranaulf arrives at the anchorhold, Louise initially blocks him. The only men she will allow into the parlor are Bishop Michael and the anchoress’s confessor. Impatiently, Ranaulf explains that he is the new confessor. Shutting the parlor door, Ranaulf crosses the gloomy room and settles himself on the stool by the window. A rustling noise alerts him to Sarah’s presence behind the curtain. When she speaks—both in her simple greeting and as she makes her confession—he finds he cannot focus on the words, so enraptured is he by the sound of her voice.