Part 4 (1/2)
”I know nothing I see nothing I hear nothing,” Ilya chanted
Soon our waitress went off-duty for the night, so Francine tended our table I didn't knohat to say, and so was silent Ilya pretended that he had never seen her before, and slipped a few silver pence into her loincloth She acted as though she didn't recognize hih of course she ave hinificent breasts on either side of his hairy cheeks I was duh I had not tipped her, and then went to her other tables
Ilya refused to discuss the subject
We stayed until closing, and then both ca our table
I' to anybody, but I think so about the inn that night, like a storm about to break or a battle about to be joined
She was calling herself Mary now, but there was nowhen Francine's husband hurried into the inn
He was in his usual clerical garb, but it was covered with snow, for it was a foul night He was bare-headed andwithout his hat, for his hair and eyebroere thick with rime
His eyes were red, as with htening sight! It was hard to believe that he was the quiet ht me my letters
Ilya and I froze, but the other twenty or so patrons paid little mind, at first
”Woman, corabbed her by the hand She pulled herself away
”Get away from me! I'm not your wife!”
I saw Father John draw a knife ”Woman!”
By this tione to her aid, had there been but ti much smaller than the others, and behind many of them, I could not see what happened I only heard the screa to the floor
Chapter Four
FROM THE DIARY OF CONRAD SCHWARTZ Krystyana and the innkeeper's ere shaking me awake There was trouble at the inn
I called for Sir Vladi, I wanted souard with Tadaos, they were both up and in armor, so I didn't bother with mine They were ready before I was, and the four of us, followed by a crowd of gawkers, went across the snow to the inn, with Krystyana and Annastashi+a guarding the closed gate
The innkeeper had let no one else leave and had touched nothing Francine was crumpled in a corner, nearly naked I was shocked to see her I hadn't known that she had left Okoitz And how could a et, a job as a waitress at the inn? Yet she was in that uniform, what there was of it She stared at me, but I couldn't read her eyes
The body was stretched out on the floorfacedown The clerical garb was obvious, as was the trickle of blood pooling beneath the head I turned to the innkeeper ”What the hell happened?”
”Well, my lord, the short of it was that he caet away He pulled a knife and she hit him on the head with a stool I was surprised that it killed him, but it did I would have smashed him one myself, only I never had the chance”
I nodded, and turned the body over The forehead was caved in and the face was streaked with blood It was a few nized Count Lambert's priest
I sat down at a table, still not quite awake Being lord also e, the jury, and sometimes even the executioner I noticed that Natalia had coet everyone's name and then send them home Lady Francine, coet us some beer” Coffee would have beenavailable with caffeine in it
The place was soon cleared and the body was taken to the church It was closing ti black hair was disheveled and her face was streaked with tears They were running down her cheeks and failing to her bare breasts
”My lady, what is this all about?” I asked
Atnotes on birch bark Later, if it was needed, she would ood copy on parchment, which was expensive
”About? I suppose it's abouta e eyes were still gushi+ng tears Her tiny nipples et and dripping I gave her my handkerchief
”Murder? I'et away and he dreeapon That's not hter at the worse I'm still not convinced that a crime has been co here? And what are you doing as a waitress?”
She tried to dry her tears, but they kept co She even wiped her chin and chest
”I came here to earnways away It is well known that a woman can make more as one of your waitresses than at any other trade, even the most sordid” Even in her eood metal under that lovely exterior
”But a waitress in The innkeeper's wife should have checked it”
”She did I qualify” She was so this She was starting to get herself under control
”But you've been married for years!”
”Have I been? Soer that had been locked inside
”You mean you never?”
”I ain
What a horrible situation! I tried to iine what it ly beautiful woht for years, and physically unable to satisfy her yearnings Her knowing always that any of a thousand ure in a small town, unable to act freely
And all the while the act, the hypocrisy of pretending to be stalwart pillars of the coer man than me to oing?”
”We fought”
”You fought Did he hit you?”
”We shouted and screa back to France, and I a east They stopped at Sir Miesko's, and I ended up here”
My decision was obvious ”I' here for a while I don't think that a crime has been committed You merely defended yourself, and I don't think that bloas ht to force you back, because I don't think that he was your husband A e must be consummated”