Searching for Eustace

[intertext]

Canterbury was altogether delightful. One of my missions on this trip has been tracking down obscure literary connections that caught my fancy, and one of my reasons for wanting to go to Canterbury Cathedral, believe it or not, is because I read Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban. Because of this connection (and if you've read the book, you'll know what I'm talking about), I was looking for the mural with the picture of St. Eustace meeting the stag. Neither of the ladies who functioned as kind of cathedral "greeters" knew it - "There's St. Augustine, St. Thomas... no St. Eustace, as far as I can see..." but a charming gentleman guide knew immediately what I was asking for and gave me specific directions to the spot in the cathedral that I wanted. He asked me why I wanted to see it, and I told him, and he very politely said that it sounded like a most interesting novel... They should make more effort to exploit such literary connections - "this way for the Riddley Walker fans; this way for Murder in the Cathedral."