The story starts when a man named Chantal enters a small peaceful village Viscos inhabiting 281 people. After spending some time in the village, the man meets a young woman called Ms. Prym and takes her to the jungle. He shows the lady 11 gold bars and tells her that she must inform all the villagers that if anyone commits the sin of murder in the next seven days then 10 gold bars will be given to the village. This will lead to the prosperity of the village and the 11th gold bar she can steal from this place anytime.
After the conversation with Chantal, Miss Prym went into a shock and was unable to sleep for three nights as she was perplexed to decide whether she should inform the villagers or not. After three days she met the stranger again and this time Chantal told his life story to her.
Chantal told that some years back he used to live with his family (wife and daughters) working as a weapon manufacturer. One day some terrorist kidnapped his wife and daughters and asked him not to tell the police but being a responsible citizen he informed the police. Police found the terrorist but it was too late for his wife and daughters. From that moment he felt like some evil have took over him as the rage he was feeling was driving only evil thoughts in his mind. So he wanted to whether the core feelings of humanity are evil. Thus, for this reason, he came to Viscos to find that can money become a reason for humans to become evil thus commiting the sin of murder.
After telling his story Chantal also told Miss Prym that he will leave the gold bars as a reward for the village even if anyone is murdered but on the condition that Miss Prym will not tell this agreement to anyone. After contemplating for some time, Miss Prym annonces about the gold bars and the murder in a village meeting. After discussion some prominent villagers decide to go for the kill for the prosperity of the village. They decide to kill Berta an old women who belives she can talk to her husband’s soul. She was also the first one to sense the entry of evil (Chantal) in the village.
There is also a side story going on with the main plot about how the village Viscos was founded. Viscos was a land of criminals whose biggest gangster was Ahab. One day a saint visited and said he wanted to stay in the Ahab house while the whole conversation, Ahab was sharpening his knife as a warning to Saint Savin but he allowed him to stay. Everyone feared Ahab, no one even dared to talk to him but Saint Savin slept peacefully beside him. Seeing the trust of Saint Savin Ahab was transformed and cried in the morning. He had a change of heart and he formed the village of Viscos.
In the main plot after deciding to kill Berta, the villagers took her and the moment they were going to kill her, Miss Prym stopes them and make them realise what were they doing. After listening to Miss Prym, villagers decide not to kill berta.
After this Chantal tells Miss prym that she won but he didn’t got his answer. Miss Prym replies by telling her the story of the formation of Viscos and Ahab. And then she tells after the formation of Viscos, Ahab asked Saint Savin will the Saint be able to say no to a beautiful prositute, pile of gold, etc. to which the Saint replied “No, but I would be able to control myself”
I know you must be confused what is the moral of the book. The last quote sums up the whole story.
“Every person has good and evil within him it is just the matter of control and choice”
If you want to read the novel you can buy here:
The Greedy Monk