The Wandering Harlot (The Marie Series Book 1) Read online

  The widow laughed bitterly. “I must do nothing of the sort! Your father should have been smart enough to marry me after your mother died. I would have seen to it that you grew up as a decent girl. But Matthis Schärer, the arrogant son of a runaway serf, thought he was too fine for a simple shoemaker’s widow.”

  The shock triggered by these malicious words gave Marie the strength to sit up partway and look the woman in the face. “What are you saying? You can see what happened to me! Do you want the three men who slandered and violated me to escape their just punishment?”

  At that moment the door opened again, and Hunold entered with a basin of water. Over his arm he carried a towel and a penitent’s hair shirt.

  Marie screamed at the sight of him, but Euphemia shrugged, dipped the cloth in the water, and began to clean her. Clinging to the hope that the judge would see through the web of lies and violence spun around her, Marie lay motionless. She didn’t even resist when Euphemia put the hair shirt on her, then motioned to Hunold. “She’s now presentable for the high court.”

  The bailiff bound Marie’s arms behind her back as on the evening before and shoved her toward the door. She was so preoccupied with her misery that not until they were crossing the bridge did Marie realize that Hunold was taking her to the island’s Dominican monastery, where the monks had a reputation for merciless severity.

  VI.

  The monastery’s great hall was built to impress. The walls were made of precisely hewn stone blocks, their weight underscored by the unusually large woven tapestries depicting biblical scenes. Narrow, high, stained-glass windows told of the sufferings of Dominican martyrs. The ceiling was made of dark stained wood and decorated with fine carvings. The coats of arms of the bishops of Constance and abbots of the island monastery were displayed on the massive pillars. All of this gave the visitor the feeling of standing at one of the holiest places in Christendom.

  Behind a solid rock table at the back of the hall was a seat as magnificent as the kaiser’s own throne, and there sat the bishop’s judge, Honorius von Rottlingen, dressed in the white-and-black habit of the Dominicans. Two steps to the side from the judge’s table stood the prosecutor’s richly carved chair where Counselor Rupert was acting as both prosecutor and plaintiff. Behind him, court bailiffs were positioned to carry out the judge’s orders.

  The spectators’ chairs were empty, and Gero Linner and Jörg Wölfling sat on one of the sparsely occupied witness benches. At the other end of the same bench sat Utz Käffli and Linhard Merk. The carriage driver eyed his surroundings with a disrespectful smirk as if amused by the stiff dignity of this place, while Linhard half closed his eyes, visibly struggling with the aftereffects of the previous night’s alcohol.

  Matthis Schärer had taken a seat on the rear witness bench far from his daughter’s accusers. His complexion was gray, his cheeks fallen, and one half of his face hung down slightly. Softly bewailing his misfortune, he clung to his brother-in-law.

  Mombert also seemed shaken, but unlike Matthis, he was still able to think clearly. He was alarmed by the speed with which Counselor Rupert had been able to schedule Marie’s trial and the aloof faces of the judge and the court bailiffs. It was a bad omen that Marie’s case was being tried in the bishop’s court and not before a local jury with jurisdiction over Constance citizens where he and Matthis could have presented a better defense for Marie. In this hall, where Counselor Rupert served as legal adviser to the bishop’s court and was a frequently welcomed guest, they did not wield the slightest influence.

  Mombert was also angry at Master Jörg, a member of the High Council of Constance, who should have insisted that this case be heard in a city court. But Jörg Wölfling remained quietly in his seat, neither speaking nor showing any emotion.

  Honorius von Rottlingen cleared his throat to gain the attention of those present. “Bring in the strumpet!”

  With those words, the judge seemed to have already made up his mind. Terrified of the fanatical monk, Mombert shuddered, tears rolling down his cheeks as the bailiff led Marie into the courtroom. Matthis felt ill and leaned forward, his face in his hands.

  There were dark shadows under Marie’s eyes. She shook violently, and her face was painfully contorted. None of that, however, detracted from her angelic beauty, and it was clear from the look in her eyes that her spirit remained unbroken.

  A court bailiff led her to the prisoner’s bench where she was forced to kneel. When the judge gave a signal, Rupert rose and walked to the middle of the hall, then accused Master Matthis of having knowingly deceived him into the engagement with his daughter. “But these two good men here followed the call of their conscience and warned me of Matthis Schärer’s ruse and the immoral life of his daughter, Marie.”

  Marie bowed slightly and looked directly at the judge, speaking in a firm voice. “This is a wretched web of lies, Your Honor! Last night, Linhard the secretary, Utz the carriage driver, and Hunold the bailiff broke into my cell and violated me in order not to have to commit perjury here. I swear by the Holy Virgin and Jesus that until last night I was a chaste virgin.”

  Marie’s father jumped up as if wanting to run to her, but then collapsed, groaning, and clenched his chest. Mombert held on to him.

  “You have chosen a rather strange defense.” The judge sounded doubtful. “If you are unjustly charging the three men, your punishment will be even more severe.”

  “I speak the truth,” Marie affirmed. “I swear . . .”

  Counselor Rupert waved her off. “Is she so scheming as to try to deflect criticism of her own crime with a baseless accusation?”

  Mombert rose indignantly. “How can you say her accusation is baseless? I know Marie only as a pious, obedient child who never lies.”

  Rupert shook his head thoughtfully. “It honors you, Master Mombert, that you come to the defense of your relative, but you were present when Utz Käffli and Linhard Merk told us convincingly that they had engaged in immoral behavior with her. Her assertion she had not lost her innocence until it was taken from her against her will last night is really going too far. I hope the venerable father will consider this insolence in his judgment.”

  “What about the bailiff?” Mombert asked. “Not a word was mentioned of him last night.”

  “Naturally she must accuse him as well. Who but he could have given Utz and Linhard the key to the dungeon?” Rupert said, addressing the judge, who silently nodded his agreement.

  “If you speak the truth, the matron who examined you will confirm your words, but if you have lied, the full force of the law will be brought to bear.”

  Marie could feel every hair on her body standing on end. She could only hope that Euphemia would obey her conscience in the presence of the cross. As soon as the widow was led in, however, Marie could tell that she didn’t intend to testify truthfully.

  Father Honorius called the woman forward. “You are Euphemia, widow of the shoemaker Otfried, ordered this morning to examine the virginity of Marie Schärer who has been accused of prostitution. Give the court your findings.”

  Euphemia scowled and blew air through her teeth. “Your Honor, I can hardly call the girl a virtuous virgin.”

  Father Honorius looked at her severely. “Euphemia Schuster, in the name of God and our savior Jesus Christ, I demand you tell us the truth. Did you see signs that the accused was violated during the night?”

  The widow did not hesitate for a moment. “I saw no sign she had been violated. This I swear by God the Almighty.”

  Marie cried out loudly. “She’s lying! She hates my father and is allied with those who defiled me!”

  Father Honorius pounded the flat of his hand on the table so hard that the stone rang. “Bailiffs, gag the accused! She is not worthy of being allowed to raise her voice again.”

  The judge turned to Linhard and Utz. “You two have claimed that you fornicated with Marie, the daughter of
Matthis Schärer. Do you swear by the cross that your testimony is true?”

  Utz rose, walked up to the judge’s bench, and placed his hand on the cross that the judge held out to him. “I swear by everything that is holy that I lay with Marie Schärer.”

  Seeing the judge’s questioning gaze directed at him, Linhard broke out in a sweat. He held his head down, looking as if he expected to be struck down at any moment by a bolt of lightning. Clutching the cross in his trembling hands, he walked up to the judge’s bench, and said the words that sealed Marie’s fate: “I swear by all that is holy.”

  Satisfied, Father Honorius nodded. “The accused is hereby found guilty of prostitution and will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Now we must decide the penalty. Counselor Rupert, since the godless actions of the accused have sullied your honor, it is up to you to demand an appropriate punishment.”

  The counselor bowed slightly. “I thank you, Venerable Father. According to the laws of the holy church and the Reich, if the guilt of a wayward woman has been proven and she admits and regrets her actions in a court of law, she shall be sent to a nunnery where she can pray for the forgiveness of her sins.”

  He paused and looked at the spectators, who nodded their silent approval. Then he turned to Marie. “Are you now finally ready to admit your sins?” he demanded. “Consider carefully. It is the only way for you to atone for your transgressions and save your soul from eternal damnation.”

  Marie hesitated. All she wanted now was to crawl away and hide behind the walls of a nunnery where she would be able to forget the cruelty of the world. But she knew she could be acquitted only by committing perjury and at the same time exonerating the three rapists along with the widow Euphemia whose vile slander had sealed her fate. She shook her head violently and uttered a sound that could be understood as “No.”

  Counselor Rupert turned a grim face to the judge. “If the girl remains unrepentant,” he said, “and refuses to confess her guilt, she must be whipped and driven from the city.”

  Her father stood up, breathing heavily, and staggered forward. “Child, you don’t know what you are doing,” he said, whimpering. “Admit your guilt, and I will send you to the sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Constance.” Turning her head away, Marie gazed in another direction.

  Marie could hear her father’s pleas and saw her uncle Mombert’s imploring look. Even the judge nodded his encouragement. It was as if the entire world had conspired against her, but she knew that if she took the veil, she would suffer the contempt of the noble nuns and would be punished for sins she had never committed. Worse, perjury was a deadly sin for which she didn’t wish to atone. No, she was not ready to do that.

  She looked at the judge and shook her head resolutely. Honorius von Rottlingen was visibly annoyed. “Since this hussy is stubborn and denies her guilt, she shall suffer the worst possible penalty.”

  He consulted briefly with his bailiffs, then rose and looked down at Marie.

  “Marie Schärer, you are sentenced to thirty lashes with branches and eternal banishment from the city of Constance and its surroundings for having deceived the esteemed Counselor Rupert Splendidus and entered a marriage contract under pretense of being an honorable virgin as well as for slandering upstanding citizens.” The judge was preparing to rise and conclude the session, when Counselor Rupert asked permission to speak.

  “Excuse me, Venerable Father, for presenting one last request. None of your bailiffs should whip the whore. In my experience, most men deal more leniently with such a beautiful woman. I suggest that bailiff Hunold carry out the punishment. He will certainly not be merciful.”

  “No, he won’t. Not after she accused him of this disgraceful crime,” replied the judge, raising his hand to demand the attention of those present. “The judgment will be carried out today. Take the hussy to the marketplace and have the bailiff Hunold carry out the punishment. After that, two bailiffs of this court are to escort her out of Constance.”

  Marie could feel the last of her strength ebbing away. With a satisfied grin, Hunold approached, seized the rope with which he had twice dragged her through the city, and yanked it so hard, she fell to the ground.

  “It won’t do you any good to throw yourself at my feet and beg me to spare you,” he sneered at her. “You should have thought of that before.”

  VII.

  The day of Marie’s court appearance was also market day in Constance. Farmers from the surrounding area had been streaming into the city since early morning with their vegetables, poultry, lambs, and pigs. By late morning, most of their goods had sold, and the farmers began taking down their stalls. Suddenly the hectic activity stopped. Even the city residents who had been running anxiously from stand to stand as if time were running out grabbed hold of their fully packed shopping baskets and stared openmouthed at the old granary.

  Three court bailiffs stood there with scepters decorated with ribbons as a sign of their office. The visitors in the marketplace crowded closer, asking one another what was going on, but no one had an answer. An offender’s punishment was usually announced days in advance by the town criers.

  The spectators didn’t need to wait long, as another court bailiff appeared soon after and politely asked the spectators to make room for the venerable judge Honorius von Rottlingen and his retinue. A passage quickly opened through the growing crowd for the monks coming up the hill from the monastery to walk toward the pillory’s platform.

  The judge, his bailiffs, and the secretary were met by expectant whispers and were followed by Counselor Rupert and his witnesses. Attracting the most attention, however, was Hunold who was pulling Marie along behind him like a calf on a rope. Two other men in the procession came several steps behind, barely capturing any notice. They were Mombert Flühi and Marie’s father, who was leaning heavily on his brother-in-law and continually shaking his head.

  As the judge and his retinue took their seats, Hunold dragged Marie to the pillory, a pole with iron fittings that had been anchored deep in the ground to resist even the rage of strong men. Blackened with time, the wood had become as smooth as polished stone from the bodies of the condemned who had writhed in pain there. Hunold pushed Marie toward the pole, tied her hands over her head, and with a violent tug pulled her dress down and threw it aside. Marie froze in shame.

  Hunold untied the rope behind Marie’s neck and ripped the gag out of her mouth. Then pulling a knife from his belt, he cut off her braids.

  Marie turned her head to the side as much as she was able with her arms stretched over her head. “May God damn you to the darkest reaches of hell.”

  Hunold smirked and made room for the court bailiff, who stepped up to the pole and began reading the judgment in an ostentatious tone. In the meantime, Mombert had leaned his half-conscious brother-in-law against a cart and made his way to the front row of spectators. He didn’t know what he thought he could do there. Didn’t anyone see that an appalling injustice was being committed? Why didn’t anyone intervene? The miracle he had hoped for did not happen.

  The people around him didn’t know what to think of the whole matter. Some of them knew Marie and affirmed they had considered her a virtuous young woman, but most proclaimed loudly that she had duped them all, and their voices sounded malicious and complacent. A few levelheaded citizens inquired about the kaiser’s magistrate who was responsible for prosecution and punishment of crimes in Constance along with the city council, but they were informed that the magistrate had left town two days ago and was not expected back until the beginning of the following week.

  The crowd quieted when a court bailiff handed Hunold three hazelnut branches. Marie clenched her teeth at the first blow. Again, the lash struck her back, and it felt like her body was in flames. The blows kept coming, and soon she could no longer think clearly, as every part of her body and soul was overcome with pain. Not even the torment of purgatory could be wors
e.

  Finally, Hunold untied the ropes binding Marie to the post and watched as she sank to the ground. After a moment, he poured a nearby basin of cold water over her. Marie groaned and struggled to lift her head. “You are no longer human, Hunold. You are a monster.”

  He laughed and turned away, leaving her to the two court bailiffs who would lead her out of the city. The men pulled her to her feet. While one of them held her, the other dressed her in a bright yellow robe that only reached her thighs. More of a sack than a garment, the cloth showed two grimacing faces that represented fornication and lust. Then the bailiffs beckoned to the servant holding their horses.

  “Come, whore! Now we’re leaving town!” One of the bailiffs wrapped the end of a long rope around her tied hands and fastened the other end to a stirrup. Without giving her a second glance, he and his comrade leaped into their saddles and spurred their horses forward, Marie staggering along on foot behind them through a dense crowd of onlookers. As she passed through the Rhine Gate, the golden rooster perched on the cathedral ridge jeered a final farewell over the roofs of the old city.

  VIII.

  Matthis Schärer and Mombert Flühi had joined the crowd following the bailiffs. Marie’s father had aged decades since her arrest, but his strength suddenly seemed to return as he shoved his way through the crowd so fast that his brother-in-law could barely keep up with him. His mind still seemed to be clouded, however, as he babbled incomprehensibly, stretching his trembling hands out to his daughter. Mombert’s eyes were also fastened on his niece, whose yellow robe was turning red from her blood. He thought of his daughter, Hedwig, who had just turned twelve, and he shuddered to imagine her in Marie’s place.

  As the bailiffs were guiding their horses through the city gate, Marie caught sight of Michel pushing his way through the crowd, and their eyes met fleetingly. His face reflected his horror and helplessness, but also his sympathy and willingness to stand by her. When she tripped over a protruding cobblestone and fell, he started to hurry to her aid, but Guntram Adler suddenly appeared behind him, seized him by the collar, and, cursing angrily, dragged him back into the city.