Unexpected visitors arrive
and the esquire disappears
We were talking about the esquire’s life when a man and an old woman came in. The man asked for the rent of the house and the old woman, the rent of the bed. The sum equalled twelve or thirteen rials, but the esquire never had so much money.
My master said that he was going to the square to ask for change. He told the visitors to come back in the afternoon. But he never came back.
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In the afternoon, the man and the old woman came back, but I told them that my master was not there yet.
At night, I didn’t want to be alone in that house, so I went to my neighbours’ house. I told them what happened. And they let me stay for the night.
In the morning, the man and the old woman came back again. The neighbours said:
- Here is his servant and the key to the door.
So they asked me where the esquire was. I said I didn’t know. I said he never came back.
When they heard this, they went for a sheriff and a notary. They opened the door of the house and wanted to take all my master’s things. They went all over the house, but it was empty.
- Where are your master’s things, the chests, the furniture, everything in the house?
- I don’t know- I said.
- Surely, he came at night and took everything with him.
And they said to the sheriff:
- Sir, take that boy to prison. He knows everything.
The sheriff took me by my neck and told me:
-Boy, tell me where your master’s things are, or I will take you to prison.
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I was scared and I cried. I said I would tell them everything.
The notary sat down to write a list of my master’s things.
- Sirs - I said- my master has a piece of land with houses, which are in ruins. And he has a dovecot, which would have 200 birds if it were in good condition.
- Ok, maybe that is not a lot but where are those properties?
- In Old Castile- I answered.
The sheriff and the notary laughed a lot.
Then, the neighbours defended me:
- Sirs, this boy is innocent. He was with the esquire for just a few days. He sometimes comes home and we give him food.
Finally, they let me free.
I was so unlucky. My master left me.
CHAPTER 17
Lázaro’s next master: a Bulero
My next master was a Bulero. He sold the Pope’s indulgences, to forgive your sins.
The bulero was very cheeky and astute. He told lies to sell his indulgences.
I will give you an example. He had preached for three days near Toledo but he couldn’t sell any indulgences.
Finally, my master told all the people in the city that the following day he was going to give his last sermon. It was the last opportunity for people to buy an indulgence.
CHAPTER 18
The fight with the sheriff
That night, after supper, my master were in an inn and they sat down to play cards with the sheriff. But they fought for some reason. My master called the sheriff “thief". And the sheriff called the bulero “liar”. The bulero took a weapon and the sheriff took a sword to defend himself.
They continued to insult each other. The inn was full of people and they stood in the middle to stop the fight. The sheriff continued to say the indulgences were false. The people took the sheriff to another inn. My master was very angry.
Finally, we all went away to sleep.
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