But Cesky Brezen was not celebrating. Apart from the weather, which he did not mind, several other things had gone wrong recently. While in the south, selling his herbalist remedies to the border villagers of Valtice and Lednice he had suffered two strokes of misfortune. The first had occurred while he and his companions had been sleeping rough in the woods around the Liechtenstein Chateau, theBori les. They had caught some hedgehogs and used a sharp stick to make a hole in the skin by the hind legs. After the skin had been sufficiently loosened they had inflated the hedgehog until the skin had become taut thus making it possible to shave off the quills. After deflation the naked animals had been roasted over a fire until they were delicious.
Unfortunately, while eating their dinner he had lost his muleni dori - the 'dead man's string' - a six inch length of ribbon that had been cut from the clothing of his dead grandfather and in which he had been tied a knot. Among the Rom these muleni dori have very great significance. When in danger a Rom will untie the knot saying 'Sweet dead one, let the noose about to be tied around my neck be undone'. Loss of these tokens puts a Rom in great danger and the three gypsies had spent several desperate hours trying to relocate the ribbon.
They had not succeeded, and within a day the expected disaster had indeed befallen them. While moving out of the woods they had encountered a kumpania - family unit - of the gypsy horde called the Matchvaya, blood enemies of the Kalderasha to which they belonged. In the ensuing knife fight, that erupted immediately, the three of them had been lucky to escape with their lives and with only a minor beating. They had, however, once again lost all their money and their remaining stocks of herbal remedies.
Penniless and licking their wounds, they had tried once again to steal aboard a train heading for Brno, but in their weakened condition had not been as careful as was necessary. Without the guardianship of the muleni dori they had been caught and this time badly beaten by the local police before being thrown out of the village and told in no uncertain terms never to return. It had taken many days to return to the local capital and Bola was still nursing a broken rib.
"He comes," said the damaged gypsy to his companion, and then moved out into the rain and into a well hidden shop doorway just down the street.
Brezen looked in the direction indicated and saw Brother Timothy, well protected against the driving weather, coming to their rendezvous.
"What happened to you?" asked the monk as he stepped into the small amount of shelter that held the gypsy. Brezen's face was puffy, there were multiple abrasions and one of his eyes was swollen and semi-closed.
"A disagreement with a relative," said the gypsy with a shrug and a wince. He had suffered many beatings in his life and survived all of them. He was more worried about his financial future.
"Will you still be able to carry out our agreement?" Brother Timothy asked sharply, completely indifferent to Brezen's pain or injuries. He had been worried for several days about the gypsies and if he had been wise to place so much trust in them. These people were notoriously unreliable. It had been with a mixture of apprehension and relief, therefore, when he had been accosted on the street outside the monastery by a ragged urchin and told to come to this meeting.
"Our agreement still holds," Brezen told him, "but I will want half the money now and half afterwards." He watched Brother Timothy's face and saw the cold dark eyes turn brittle. Even Brezen shivered slightly, and it was not from the cold. This was not a man to take too lightly.
"I have already given you some money," the monk said tightly. "I'll give you more the day before Holy Saturday, and the full sum that evening after your performance." He already suspected a shakedown but was prepared, in more ways than one.
It hurt more than the physical injuries to be in montshimo - voluntary bondage - to this Gaje monk, but Brezen had few options.
"My circumstances have changed, as you can see. I need a little money so I can eat and find shelter. I won't let you down."
"I would hope not. But do you still have ... er ... what you need to complete the assignment?" Brother Timothy needed that reassurance.
"Yes."
"Show it to me."
At which Brezen loosened his shirt and showed Brother Timothy what he had carried so carefully for so long against his stomach.
"Very well," said the monk, somewhat relieved. "Here are a few guilders. I'll want to meet you once more before the day. I'll give you your last instructions, and a further payment, on Good Friday. That is the day before Holy Saturday. Do you understand?" While he had been talking he had been watching Brezen closely. He had seen the gypsy's face change subtly as the money had been passed over, and knew he had been right to take an extra precaution or two.
"One more thing," he said softly. "There is enough money there to allow you to eat until Easter, but, there is also enough money there to allow you to leave without completing our bargain." He saw Brezen's reactions and knew he had guessed right; the gypsy had been planning on departing right away. "This would be very inconvenient for me and for several other powerful persons in Brno. We thought it wise, therefore, to help you stay honest and keep your end of the bargain." He smiled, and Brezen didn't know what was worse, the monk's smile or the grin on the Brnensky drak - Brno dragon - a stuffed alligator that hung in the town hall.
"We would like you, therefore, to be our guest until the great day."
Brezen looked around sharply, but it was too late. Coming out of the shop doorway just down the street were two men in long waterproof capes. Between them was a very sorry and damp Balo. Two more very large men with granite faces appeared out of the rain and came to stand beside Brother Timothy and the last of the Salamanders.
"Don't worry," the monk assured the dejected gypsies as they were firmly grasped by the four large men. "There are some dry rooms just below the Petrov where you will be quite safe. I'll even arrange to have your injuries treated. You will be our guests for a couple of weeks, eat all you want, and when you have done what you say you can do, you will be free to go. Of course, the rest of our bargain still stands and you will be well rewarded."
"Don't thank me."