Free The Moneylender of Toulouse by Alan Gordon Page A

said firmly.
    â€œAny arguments with anyone? Anything out of the ordinary?”
    â€œNo, Senhor,” replied Evrard, yet I thought, though it might just have been my imagination at play, that there was a moment of hesitation this time.
    â€œIs there any knowledge that you possess that might in any way help this court determine who killed your master?”
    â€œI can think of none,” said Evrard. “If I remember anything else, I will bring it to you immediately.”
    â€œThank you,” said the baile. “You may stand down.”
    The baile walked over to the Borsella family.
    â€œForgive me, Domina, but it is my duty,” he said, holding his hand out to her.
    Trembling, she took it and rose to her feet. She came to the edge of the coffin and broke down, sobbing.
    â€œSurely there is no need—” protested Bonet, but the baile silenced him with a gesture.
    â€œPlease, Domina,” he said. “I will not ask you to take the oath. But can you tell us if you know anything of how or why he was killed?”
    â€œNothing,” she managed to get out.
    â€œThen I will not question you further,” said the baile gently. “My sympathies for your loss.”
    He escorted her back to the two brothers. Vitalis embraced her as she sat.
    Calvet looked around the room.
    â€œIs there anyone here who knows of any enmity held toward this man?”
    â€œHalf the town owed him money!” shouted someone from the crowd.
    â€œThen we will question all of his debtors,” said Calvet. “I call upon Bonet Borsella to preserve his brother’s accounts and ledgers until such time that they may be examined.”
    Bonet gave a curt nod.
    â€œWill he tell him about the one missing?” I wondered.
    â€œI doubt it,” said Claudia.
    â€œBefore I make my preliminary ruling, I call upon all present to rise and take the oath,” said Calvet.
    We all did, our hands raised.
    â€œIf there be any among you who has any knowledge that will assist this court in its inquiries,” said Calvet, “I charge you under your oath to step forward now.”
    I glanced around the room, just to see if anyone would. Many were doing the same.
    And Father Mascaron was staring directly at me.

CHAPTER 4
    I returned his glance boldly, not breaking it. It was like a children’s game, seeing who would blink first. Finally, I gave a minute shrug, and he smiled slightly, then looked away.
    â€œWhat was that all about?” whispered my wife, who misses nothing.
    â€œI don’t know,” I said. “We will have to find out.”
    â€œAnyone?” asked the baile.
    There was no response. He turned to a scribe who had been recording the statements of the witnesses, and was about to say something when a voice screeched, “I saw it done!”
    There was an immediate uproar, and a disturbance among the sea of bodies to our right. A man was struggling to get through, his clothes in disarray, his nose carbuncled.
    â€œI saw it done!” he kept shouting.
    â€œArmand, please,” said the baile.
    â€œWho’s this, the town drunk?” I asked Jordan.
    â€œIt’s not an official position,” he replied. “Nor is he the only contender for the title. But he certainly deserves consideration for it.”
    â€œArmand, if you continue to interrupt official proceedings, I will have to lock you up again,” said the baile.
    â€œBut I did see it, your eminence,” said Armand. “I really did.”
    â€œYou were drunk last night,” said the baile. “You’re drunk every night.”
    â€œNot yesterday!” said Armand triumphantly. “Yesterday, I was drunk in the afternoon!”
    â€œGet out of this court,” said the baile.
    â€œI was sleeping it off in one of the tanners’ sheds, and I was woke during the night by the sound of two men arguing,” continued Armand. “It was that Borsella fellow and