The College of St. John and Holy Ghost, dormant and subdued by its academic life, is revolutionized by the return of the brilliant and evil Professor Parlabane and by the complicated inheritance the university has just received from Arthur Cornish, one of the most important Canadian art collectors of the twentieth century. The suspicions among the executors of Cornish s willprofessors Hollier, McVarnish and Darcourtreach a boiling point when an unedited Rabelais manuscript is discovered among the objects in the will, and the greed brought about by the coveted manuscript will reveal each of the novel s characters true colors. With this tale of intrigue, Davies takes us on a tour of academic life, arts patronage, alchemy, collectorship, and the gypsy tradition. Although it can be read independently, this novel is the first installment of The Cornish Trilogy."La Universidad de San Juan y el Espiritu Santo, adormecida en su absorbente vida academica, se revoluciona con el regreso del brillante y malvado profesor Parlabane y con el complicado legado que la universidad acaba de recibir de Arthur Cornish, uno de los mas importantes coleccionistas de arte canadienses del siglo XX. Las suspicacias entre los albaceas del testamento de Cornishlos profesores Hollier, McVarish y Darcourtse acrecientan al descubrir entre los objetos del legado un manuscrito inedito de Rabelais. La codicia que va a desatar el preciado manuscrito revelara el verdadero caracter de cada uno de los personajes de la novela. Con esta historia de intriga Davies nos pasea por la vida academica, el mecenazgo, la alquimia, el coleccionismo, y la tradicion gitana. Aunque puede ser leida independientemente, esta novela es el primer libro de la Trilogia de Cornish.""