Chapter 40: Cobbler
“Arrogance on the part of the meritorious is even more offensive to us than the arrogance of those without merit”
Friedrich Nietzsche
Toulouse, April 2, 1082
Barefoot, Gaston de Toulouse stood with his back to the other children, who were all standing in line, with their hands behind their backs. He began to chant, “Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe. Mend it, mend it, make it new! Cobbler, cobbler…”
As he repeated the verse again and again, Gaston’s shoes was passed up and down the row behind the other children’s backs. After several more verses, he stopped and all activity behind him ceased. Turning around, Gaston saw that everyone had their hands behind their backs. The whole row of “cobblers” turned their back to him, all of them pretending to mend Gaston’s shoes. Well, except for the one who actually has my shoes.
He was never particularly good at this game. When everyone turned around, he scaned the row, and came up with four candidates who could posibly have his shoes. First was Peironela, who seemed to be fidgeting. Miquel was second. He had a smug look on his face; the look that said that he knew something that Gaston didn’t. Third was Bregida, who simply looked strait ahead, making it seem like she did not care much for the game. Fourth was Bertrand, the Duke’s new squire who was a year or two older than Gaston, who was looking down the row.
After a few seconds of debate, Gaston made his choice, “Bert.”
Bert’s eyes quickly shot over to Gaston, and he shook his head. Who is it then? Gaston’s answer came from the giggle of the girl standing next to Bert, Bert’s twin sister, Clara. She reveled Gaston’s shoes. I have to stop focusing in on certain people. Meanwhile, Miquel, the tallest of all of the children, who was on the other side of Clara in the row, looked down his nose at her.
“Give him his shoes back, Clara,” Bert said, “We both ought to head back to the manor. I’ll be there needed soon.” Smiling, Clara walked over to Gaston and gave him his shoes, which he quickly began to put back on.
Clara turned to her brother, “Let’s go.” As they began to walk off, Bregida took notice, and without a word left to follow them. When Bregida caught up with them, she and Clara began to talk incessantly, with some side comments coming out of Bert.
With those three gone the game disolved, the children going off in separate directions. Eberhard limbed over toward Gaston, who was followed by the long and confident steps of Miquel. “You focus on certain people too much.” Eberhard stated.
“I know, I know. I was focusing more on everyone around her.” Gaston said, slightly exasperated.
“You oughtn’t let her win like that.” Miquel critisised.
“Why?” Eberhard asked.
Miquel explained, “It’s an embarresment. Both them are lower than us. It’s said that their father is a bastard.”
“So?” Eberhard said.
Miquel shook his head and started back to the manor. Muttering on the way, he left Gaston and Eberhard alone.
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An update where nothing and alot of things happen.
Though I have not advanced the plot much here, you get a better idea of who one of the character's is, introduced two more, and continued to leave you in the dark about another.
“Arrogance on the part of the meritorious is even more offensive to us than the arrogance of those without merit”
Friedrich Nietzsche
Toulouse, April 2, 1082
Barefoot, Gaston de Toulouse stood with his back to the other children, who were all standing in line, with their hands behind their backs. He began to chant, “Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe. Mend it, mend it, make it new! Cobbler, cobbler…”
As he repeated the verse again and again, Gaston’s shoes was passed up and down the row behind the other children’s backs. After several more verses, he stopped and all activity behind him ceased. Turning around, Gaston saw that everyone had their hands behind their backs. The whole row of “cobblers” turned their back to him, all of them pretending to mend Gaston’s shoes. Well, except for the one who actually has my shoes.
He was never particularly good at this game. When everyone turned around, he scaned the row, and came up with four candidates who could posibly have his shoes. First was Peironela, who seemed to be fidgeting. Miquel was second. He had a smug look on his face; the look that said that he knew something that Gaston didn’t. Third was Bregida, who simply looked strait ahead, making it seem like she did not care much for the game. Fourth was Bertrand, the Duke’s new squire who was a year or two older than Gaston, who was looking down the row.
After a few seconds of debate, Gaston made his choice, “Bert.”
Bert’s eyes quickly shot over to Gaston, and he shook his head. Who is it then? Gaston’s answer came from the giggle of the girl standing next to Bert, Bert’s twin sister, Clara. She reveled Gaston’s shoes. I have to stop focusing in on certain people. Meanwhile, Miquel, the tallest of all of the children, who was on the other side of Clara in the row, looked down his nose at her.
“Give him his shoes back, Clara,” Bert said, “We both ought to head back to the manor. I’ll be there needed soon.” Smiling, Clara walked over to Gaston and gave him his shoes, which he quickly began to put back on.
Clara turned to her brother, “Let’s go.” As they began to walk off, Bregida took notice, and without a word left to follow them. When Bregida caught up with them, she and Clara began to talk incessantly, with some side comments coming out of Bert.
With those three gone the game disolved, the children going off in separate directions. Eberhard limbed over toward Gaston, who was followed by the long and confident steps of Miquel. “You focus on certain people too much.” Eberhard stated.
“I know, I know. I was focusing more on everyone around her.” Gaston said, slightly exasperated.
“You oughtn’t let her win like that.” Miquel critisised.
“Why?” Eberhard asked.
Miquel explained, “It’s an embarresment. Both them are lower than us. It’s said that their father is a bastard.”
“So?” Eberhard said.
Miquel shook his head and started back to the manor. Muttering on the way, he left Gaston and Eberhard alone.
----------------------
An update where nothing and alot of things happen.
Though I have not advanced the plot much here, you get a better idea of who one of the character's is, introduced two more, and continued to leave you in the dark about another.
