Read Online The Brixen Witch by Stacy DeKeyser - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stacy DeKeyser
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own children are, you scruffy oaf of a blacksmith!”
Rudi felt a wave of unease rising in his chest.
“Oma!” He shook her shoulder. “Say something.”
“Me? These fools aren’t listening to each other. Why would they listen to me?”
Rudi winced in frustration. What about Herbert Wenzel? It was not right that an innocent man should have his name dishonored simply because a collection of panicked villagers had been tormented to their wits’ end. Someone had to speak up.
Before he could lose his nerve, Rudi pushed his way to the platform at the front of the hall, snatched the gavel from the mayor’s hand, and smacked iton the table with such force that its handle broke with a CRACK .
The room fell silent. Mouths hung open, and all eyes were upon Rudi.
He cleared his throat, and then he forced himself to speak.
“Master Wenzel is not in league with the witch. I worked alongside him for six days, in the worst conditions. Yet he was nothing but patient and good humored. He is an honest and decent man, and I cannot let you talk of him this way.”
Rudi looked down at the room full of stunned faces and decided that, while he had their attention, he should make good use of it.
“Nor are these rats the witch’s doing,” he continued, with a glance toward Oma, who nodded her encouragement. “Master Wenzel told me so, and of all people, he knows about rats. I believe him, and so should you.”
Otto the baker applauded. “The boy speaks sense.”
“The boy is only a boy,” declared Marco. “What does he know of the witch and her cohorts? And you, Master Otto—perhaps you’ve known the rat catcher all your life, but he lives afar, and you can only vouch for his behavior a few days out of every year. How can you know what he does in Klausen when you’re not there?”
There was a new assortment of murmurs and head scratching. Rudi caught sight of Not-So-Old-Mistress Gerta whispering into Oma’s ear. Then the two women pushed through the crowd and out the nearest door.
“I sorely hate to say it, but I think the blacksmith here is right.” It was Mistress Tanner again. “All my respect to young Rudi here, who’s an able lad and is kind to my Susanna Louisa, as silly a child as children come. But bless me! How can Herbert Wenzel claim the rats are not the witch’s doing? They can be nothing else!”
“He seemed like such an honest fellow,” said the mayor, scratching his bald head.
Mistress Tanner snorted. “How else would you expect a servant of the witch to act? Such folk are cunning and sly. Of course they’ll act honest and decent, so’s to lull you into complacency. Then they lay a hex on you that sticks forever.”
The crowd gasped as one. Now that Oma was gone, Rudi was beginning to feel quite lonely and small.
“Well spoken, my dear Mistress Tanner!” declared Marco. “Besides, young Master Rudi here is not exactly an innocent bystander. Did he not also profit from the rat catcher’s escapade? Here he is, with quite a full purse to show for his activities. I’ll wager he stands to earn even more if the rat catcher comes back a second time.”
This was too much for Rudi. He dug in his pocket for the few pennies he carried and tossed them onto the table.
“Here! I earned three florins working for Master Wenzel. The rest is at home, but you can have that too.” Rudi forced back the angry tears that welled up behind his eyes. He drew himself up and spoke in a voice that was as loud and as steady as he could manage.
“Master Wenzel is not in league with the witch. He had nothing to do with the blight of rats, either before or now. I swear this as true fact.” Rudi could hardly believe such bold words were coming from his own mouth, but he dared not stop himself. He must admit to everyone, in a clear voice and in a public place, that the blight of rats was no one’s fault but his own.
“See what I mean?” said Marco. “The lad is twelve years old. How can he swear such a
Rudi felt a wave of unease rising in his chest.
“Oma!” He shook her shoulder. “Say something.”
“Me? These fools aren’t listening to each other. Why would they listen to me?”
Rudi winced in frustration. What about Herbert Wenzel? It was not right that an innocent man should have his name dishonored simply because a collection of panicked villagers had been tormented to their wits’ end. Someone had to speak up.
Before he could lose his nerve, Rudi pushed his way to the platform at the front of the hall, snatched the gavel from the mayor’s hand, and smacked iton the table with such force that its handle broke with a CRACK .
The room fell silent. Mouths hung open, and all eyes were upon Rudi.
He cleared his throat, and then he forced himself to speak.
“Master Wenzel is not in league with the witch. I worked alongside him for six days, in the worst conditions. Yet he was nothing but patient and good humored. He is an honest and decent man, and I cannot let you talk of him this way.”
Rudi looked down at the room full of stunned faces and decided that, while he had their attention, he should make good use of it.
“Nor are these rats the witch’s doing,” he continued, with a glance toward Oma, who nodded her encouragement. “Master Wenzel told me so, and of all people, he knows about rats. I believe him, and so should you.”
Otto the baker applauded. “The boy speaks sense.”
“The boy is only a boy,” declared Marco. “What does he know of the witch and her cohorts? And you, Master Otto—perhaps you’ve known the rat catcher all your life, but he lives afar, and you can only vouch for his behavior a few days out of every year. How can you know what he does in Klausen when you’re not there?”
There was a new assortment of murmurs and head scratching. Rudi caught sight of Not-So-Old-Mistress Gerta whispering into Oma’s ear. Then the two women pushed through the crowd and out the nearest door.
“I sorely hate to say it, but I think the blacksmith here is right.” It was Mistress Tanner again. “All my respect to young Rudi here, who’s an able lad and is kind to my Susanna Louisa, as silly a child as children come. But bless me! How can Herbert Wenzel claim the rats are not the witch’s doing? They can be nothing else!”
“He seemed like such an honest fellow,” said the mayor, scratching his bald head.
Mistress Tanner snorted. “How else would you expect a servant of the witch to act? Such folk are cunning and sly. Of course they’ll act honest and decent, so’s to lull you into complacency. Then they lay a hex on you that sticks forever.”
The crowd gasped as one. Now that Oma was gone, Rudi was beginning to feel quite lonely and small.
“Well spoken, my dear Mistress Tanner!” declared Marco. “Besides, young Master Rudi here is not exactly an innocent bystander. Did he not also profit from the rat catcher’s escapade? Here he is, with quite a full purse to show for his activities. I’ll wager he stands to earn even more if the rat catcher comes back a second time.”
This was too much for Rudi. He dug in his pocket for the few pennies he carried and tossed them onto the table.
“Here! I earned three florins working for Master Wenzel. The rest is at home, but you can have that too.” Rudi forced back the angry tears that welled up behind his eyes. He drew himself up and spoke in a voice that was as loud and as steady as he could manage.
“Master Wenzel is not in league with the witch. He had nothing to do with the blight of rats, either before or now. I swear this as true fact.” Rudi could hardly believe such bold words were coming from his own mouth, but he dared not stop himself. He must admit to everyone, in a clear voice and in a public place, that the blight of rats was no one’s fault but his own.
“See what I mean?” said Marco. “The lad is twelve years old. How can he swear such a
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