Read Online The Moneylender of Toulouse by Alan Gordon - Free Book Online

dignity.
    As they passed us, the priest glanced for a moment in our direction, then back to his master. He stayed a step behind the Bishop, his hands folded and covered by the voluminous sleeves of his black robes, the very picture of humble obedience. I wondered if he, like me, kept a dagger up his sleeve, just in case.
    â€œIf this sort of thing happens often, then we will have quite a lot of competition for entertainment,” observed Claudia.
    â€œThey didn’t even collect from the crowd,” I noted. “Amateurs.”
    The battling brothers watched their adversaries retreat with smug satisfaction, then turned and went back inside. As they did, Helga emerged from the house, bowing to them as she did.
    â€œHelga, come play with us!” cried a girl with a group of children in the courtyard.
    Helga look toward the gate, saw us, and shook her head.
    â€œI can’t,” she replied. “My parents are here.”
    There were groans of disappointment from the children, and Helga trudged toward us, her head down.
    â€œShe can come back tomorrow,” I called, and the children cheered.
    Helga grinned at us as she reached the gate.
    â€œDid you see the fight?” she asked excitedly.
    â€œWe saw a great deal of masculine posturing,” said Claudia. “No actual blows.”
    â€œThat would have been so funny,” said Helga wistfully. “All those holy costumes getting torn and shredded while they rolled through the dirt.”
    â€œWhat started it?” I asked as we walked back home.
    â€œI was helping serve the guests,” said Helga. “They put me in an apron and handed me a pitcher of wine, so I walked around and filled every cup I could see. Béatrix, the new widow, was in the main parlor, and the two brothers were standing by her.”
    â€œThose were Milon’s brothers we saw?”
    â€œRight, Vitalis and Bonet. Anyhow, the Bishop was announced, and that surprised the brothers. They actually whispered to each other for a minute before they let the Bishop come in.”
    â€œWhy would a condolence call from the Bishop be so surprising?” wondered Claudia.
    â€œIt’s not his local parish,” I said. “Everything in the bourg is under the dominion of Saint Sernin. You would expect the parish priest from the Taur, even the abbot from Saint Sernin, but not the Bishop of Toulouse.”
    â€œI think that’s what surprised them,” said Helga. “So, in comes His Holiness, making a very grand benediction that took forever. I had to go refill my pitcher, so I slipped out. Then I saw that priest slip off into another room.”
    â€œHad he come into the parlor with the Bishop?”
    â€œNo, and that made me suspicious,” said Helga. “I think he’s the same priest we saw on Sunday when Milon had the argument with the Bishop.”
    â€œInteresting,” I said. “What was this room?”
    â€œI peeked through the door. It looked like it was an office where Milon conducted business. There were a lot of ledger books and papers stacked around. This priest was going through them like a burglar. I thought that since I was now a loyal servant of the household, I had better tell someone. So, I went and told the cook, and she ran and got Evrard, who’s the keykeeper, and he went and told the Borsella brothers, and they came pounding into the office, screaming at the priest.”
    â€œWhat was he looking for?”
    â€œI don’t know,” she said. “Bonet sees that there is a drawer open in the desk, and he looks in and starts yelling, ‘It’s gone! What have you done with the book?’ And the priest starts saying, ‘What book? What are you talking about?’ And the two brothers grab him and flip him over so that his robe falls all around his head.”
    She started giggling.
    â€œHe has the scrawniest legs,” she said. “Good thing he’s a priest and you