The crowd cackled. “Your story errs there,” said Baldwin, laughing, “if it’s brains you want.”
“So I’ve heard.” I bowed to the duke. “But for the purpose of the tale, he’ll do.”
Norcross’s amusement began to sour and he glared at me, red faced.
“So the peasants came to this very wise knight and they told him of their problem with the cow. They moaned, ‘What must we do?’
“The wise knight replied, ‘You say if the bull tries to mount it this way, it wiggles left? And from this direction, it wiggles right?’
“‘Yes!’ they cried.
“The knight thought it over. ‘I do not know if I can solve your dilemma,’ he said, ‘but I know one thing. Your cow is from Amiens, is it not?’
“‘Yes, yes,’ the peasants shouted. ‘It is indeed from Amiens. How could you possibly know?’”
I turned back to Norcross. I perched on the table next to him. “‘Because my wife,’ the knight muttered, ‘she is from Amiens as well.’”
The hall burst into laughter. The knights, the duke, the ladies. All except Norcross. Then the vast room echoed with applause.
Baldwin came up and slapped me on the back. “You are indeed funny, fool. You have other jokes like this?”
“Many,” I replied. To punctuate the point, I sprang into a forward flip, then one backward. The crowd oohed.
“They must laugh well in Borée. You may stay, my new companion. You are hired.”
I raised my arms in triumph. The large room echoed with applause. But inside, I knew I stood inches from the very men I had sworn to kill.
“Palimpost, as of this day you are retired,” Baldwin declared. “Show the new fool your spot.”
“Retired? But I have no desire, my liege. Haven’t I served you with all my wit?”
“With what little you have. So you are unretired, then. I grant you a new job. In the graveyard. See if you can cheer up the audience there.”
Chapter 45
TWO DAYS AFTER MY ARRIVAL, Baldwin announced a great feast at court, with counts, knights, and other noble-born invited from all over the region. The duke knew how to waste what had been earned by his poor serfs.
I was instructed by the lord’s chamberlain that I would be a main act at the festivities. Baldwin’s wife, the lady Heloise, had heard of my audition and was eager to see my act.
This would be my first real test!
The day of the gathering, the entire castle bustled with activity. An endless army of servants wearing their finest uniforms, tunics of the same purple and white, marched dishware and elaborate candelabras into the great hall. Minstrels practiced on the lawn. Giant logs were loaded into the hearths. The luscious aroma of roasting goose, pig, and sheep permeated the castle.
I spent the day polishing my routine. This was my coming out, my first real performance. I had to shine, to remain in Baldwin’s good graces. I juggled, twirled my staff, practiced my flips back and forth, went over my tales and jokes.
Finally, the evening of the feast was at hand. Nervous as a groom, I made my way to the banquet hall. Four long table