Trying to identify short story - possibly from 1970s

[velomont]

Back in the late '70s I read a short story, the title of which I can't remember, that I really enjoyed. The basic plot took place at a monastery as world tensions were leading up to a possible WW III. The monastery was located in a remote, mountainous region with jet fighters flying through periodically. The monastery was all male and there was a prophecy that a woman, impersonating a boy or man, would someday show up, and this would mark the beginning of the end.

I believe the monastic leader's name was Abbe Ferand. A young girl is driven to join this monastery and disguises herself as a male and shows up. At some point, close to the end of the story, she collapses or faints and Abbe Ferand feels her chest to feel for a heartbeat and realizes that she's female and has a horrible sense of impending doom as another fighter patrol flies by, echoing through the valleys like thunder.

If anyone can identify the story based on my description I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you

 

[iansales]

That sounds like 'The Custodians' by Richard Cowper, available in the collection of the same title.

 

[Ian Whates]

Good shout, Ian, It does indeed sound like "The Custodians" - a wonderful story by an author often sadly underrated these days.

If this is the story you mean, Velamont, there's another excellent piece in the same collection - "Piper at the Gates of Dawn", which was the springbpard for the author's memorable trilogy The White Bird of Kinship:

The Road to Corlay (1978)
A Dream of Kinship (1981)
The Tapestry of Time (1982)

All well worth checking out.

 

[velomont]

Thank you very much for the suggestion. If either of you have the short story, or access to it, and if convenient, would it be possible to type in this forum the final paragraph of the story? I think that I would recognize it, even after 30 years, and it would clarify what I'm buying should I decide to buy the book in which it's printed. I have searched the web but can't find a review or plot summary at all.

Regardless, it might be worth my checking out anyway.

Thank you very much

 

[velomont]

Gentlemen,

Please disregard my request for typing out a few lines. I discovered Google Books yesterday and have successfully confirmed that the story I was trying to identify is "The Custodians". Though Google Books did not have the story in its entirety I was able to read enough passages, a few of which were absolutely definitive, to make this determination.

As this has been bugging me on and off for about the last 30 years I sincerely wish to thank you both very much for the info.