“How rude of me,” he said almost obsequiously. “I haven’t even introduced myself. People call me Nathan the Wise. I am the king of the Regensburg beggars, the lord of the realm of night and of this wonderful guild house.”
He made a theatrical gesture, causing some of the bystanders to break out in laughter. The beggar allowed Simon some time to look around before continuing.
“What you see here is only a small part of our own little city. Above us the Jewish ghetto used to stand, but my brothers in the faith were driven out of Regensburg many, many years ago. Their buildings were razed, their homes robbed, and all that remains are these marvelous underground passages, which serve today as our guild halls.”
He indicated the dirty men dozing along the walls in back, his gold teeth sparkling in the torchlight. “Every beggar in Regensburg belongs to our guild,” Nathan continued. “Every day he pays his dues and in return is granted protection, a roof over his head, and care when he is sick. We are our own masters, just as in any guild.”
The beggar king led Simon over to the large oak table where an extremely odd group of people was assembled. The circle of scruffy-looking men, with their wine jugs and moldy scraps of bread, looked like a surreal distortion of a respectable dinner party. “Perhaps you’ve made the acquaintance of one or another of my city councilors in the course of the last day or so.” Nathan pointed at a man beside him who wore a monk’s tonsure and a pale gray habit. “This, for example, is Brother Paulus. He collects alms for our church, even though he’s never taken a vow and knows more about boozing and whoring. And this one here,” Nathan said, pointing to a stooped, toothless little man with a thin line of drool hanging from his contorted mouth, “this is Crazy Johannes, who will do a Saint Vitus’ dance for you on request. For an additional charge, of course…” With easy grace, the humped little man transformed himself into an upright, rather normal-looking person, bowing slightly as he extended his hand to the stranger.
“As for yours truly,” Nathan said, “as a Jew, I did my time on the traveling stage many times over in my youth. I’ve since retired from the exciting life of a vagabond.” He sighed. “I have so much paperwork now that barely a moment remains to go begging. Ah, well… You helped one of us out,” he said, presenting Simon with a glass of red wine, “so we’ll help you in return. What can we do for you?”
Simon took a sip of the wine, which tasted remarkably good.
“The murder of the bathhouse owner and his wife that took place a week or so ago,” he said finally. “Do you know who’s behind it?”
Nathan’s expression turned to disgust, and his golden incisors glinted. “A nasty, far too bloody matter, as I’ve heard tell. They locked up a hangman from out of town right off, but you already know that. Whether he’s the one responsible or not I couldn’t say.” He leaned toward Simon and said in a conspiratorial tone, “I know only that the bathhouse owner was involved in some truly risky business.”
The medicus frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Well, Hofmann had dealings with a handful of men who have quite powerful enemies in the city. Quite powerful, indeed, including members of the Inner Council.”
“I don’t understand what you’re insinuating. What could a bathhouse operator-”
The beggar king interrupted him with a sigh, rubbing his hands together. “I see we’ll have to fill you in a bit. But my advice comes at a price.”
“I have no money.”
Nathan gestured dismissively. “Money! Always money! As if there were nothing more valuable in this life!”
“What do you mean, then?” Simon asked cautiously.
Nathan turned serious, folding his hands as if in prayer and peering intently at the medicus. “Oh, come now, doctor, I’m sure you don’t think I invited you into our hideout without thinking twice if I didn’t have something specific in mind for you.” He gestured at the crumpled figures lying in the corners of the great hall. “Reiser says you’re a talented doctor. As you can see, we’re surrounded by suffering here-folks with infected legs, flies all over them laying eggs in their flesh. Some are so tormented by open sores, festering boils, and wracking, incessant coughs that they’re practically going mad. I want you to examine each and every one of them. At no cost, of course. Clearly, none of them can afford a doctor.”
“And if I refuse?” Simon asked quietly.
The beggar king cleared his throat. “Not a good idea. Tomorrow morning when the hangman comes around to collect animal carcasses and garbage, he just might find a human cadaver, too. I’ve heard wonderful medications can be made from human fat and skin. The apothecary shops pay a fine penny for them.”
“It doesn’t really appear I have a choice, does it?” the medicus replied, his face ashen.
Nathan smiled. “Doesn’t really look that way. From what I’ve heard, you’re looking for a job now anyway. We can offer you room and board, as well as some information you just might put to use. That’s a good deal, as far as I can see!”
“But who will guarantee that you won’t do away with me anyhow, in the end? After all, I know where your hideout is.”
Nathan clutched his chest in horror. “Mon dieu! You’re speaking to the beggar king! Who can you trust in this snake pit Regensburg, if not me?” His voice took on a sly tone. “Naturally, the offer stands only if I can trust you to keep your mouth closed.”
Simon sighed. “All right, then, I’ll do it. What other choice do I have? Now tell me what you know.”
The beggar king shooed the others away from the table and leaned so close to Simon that the medicus almost choked on his foul, garlicky breath.
“Hofmann was one of the freemen,” Nathan whispered, then paused dramatically before continuing. “A secret society of tradesmen and simple citizens who are revolting against the Regensburg patricians. The freemen seek to reassert the rights of the guilds, but the moneybags are fighting them tooth and nail. A few years back a couple of their leaders were hanged for inciting a revolution, and since then the freemen have operated underground, where they’re making plans to break the power of the patricians, by force if necessary, and even, it’s rumored, with the support of the Elector and the bishop.”
“The bishop?” Simon asked, astonished. “But the church-”
Nathan rolled his eyes. “God help us! What kind of onehorse town do you come from? This is Regensburg!” He shrugged. “I can see I’ll have to elaborate a bit. This is a Free City, ruled by the patricians, who are answerable to no one but the kaiser. Capito? But Regensburg is also a diocesan town-the seat of a bishop-and an important city in the Electorate of Bavaria. Thus, both the Elector’s and the bishop’s seats are here, and the bishop even has the power to write and enforce his own laws. For us beggars this complicates things, since we have no idea who will cut off our hands or drive us out of the city. Isn’t that so, my friends?”
He winked at the other beggars, eliciting laughs of approval.
“Both the Bavarian Elector and the Regensburg bishop want to increase their influence in the Free Imperial City,” he continued. “Any means is admissible in their attempts to undermine the kaiser’s and the patricians’ authority. It’s quite possible, therefore, that the nobles are working in consort with the freemen. Is that clear?”
“Of course,” Simon replied after a while, though he really hadn’t understood much of it. “But what does that have to do with Hofmann?”
“Didn’t I just tell you? Hofmann was a freeman,” the beggar king said. “Perhaps he knew something that would be damaging to the patricians, just as the Reichstag was about to meet. So they…” He swiped his fingers across the front of his neck. “And they did the same to his wife. And so as not to arouse suspicion, they arrested this hangman-as a scapegoat.”