Eagles Over the Kennebec

Most of the points I would make have already been made. However, the example that came to my mind first illustrates my feelings on the matter: the short story A Light on the Road to Woodstock by Ellis Peters. It's the story that describes how Cadfael decides to become a monk. He comes home from the crusades and takes service with a nobleman who is traveling to a meeting with the King. His job is to protect the nobleman on the road, and his service is to end when the man reaches the meeting place. On the road he finds that the man is dishonorable, but he keeps to the terms of his contract and ensures the man reaches the meeting alive. Once he has completed his contract, he refuses further service with the man and does what he can to ensure the man's wrong doing is stopped. Cadfael's honor is unsullied, since he hadn't been aware of the nobleman's actions at the time he took service, and he had honorably fulfilled his contract.

Mary