Riding into Wenbrunnen, he felt Hans slump against his shoulder.  Snores came from the young teenager, and he was about to ask what was going on when he heard a low voice from the wagon bed behind him:  Straight on, Barrelmaster.

It was Wilhelm.  Doing as he instructed, and wondering what he had gotten himself into he passed a couple guards armed with polearms and chainmail, and tunicked with black eagle heraldry.  They gave him surprised looks, and he nodded back before he passed on.

The main street was narrow, and he saw droppings being picked up by an ill-dressed man with a wooden paddle and a hand drawn cart.  Others were dressed finer, including finer than Wilhelm.  Even still, his clothes, and of course his color, stood out.

Almost reaching the far side, he heard Wilhelm say, The barn to the right.  Go up to it, and say Tell is here.

He did so, and the barn door was quickly opened by two men.  Hans ‘suddenly awoke’ and guided the cart into the barn.  The doors were closed behind him.  Wilhelm stood and leapt out of the cart.  He clasped arms with both of the barnmen, and Hans hugged them.  Then Brian was introduced.

There was some quick discussion, and the two barnmen set off.  Hans began to unload the cart, and Brian decided now was as good a time as any.

Can I speak with you in private, Wilhelm?

Surprised, Hans and Wilhelm looked up at the forbidding tone.  And then Wilhelm told his boy to keep working, and walked over to a far corner of the barn where Brian joined him.

I have given offense, my friend. How have I wronged you? Wilhelm asked, speaking as slowly and simply  as he could.

Brian nodded, appreciating the man’s quality, even as he did not like the apparent conspiracy he had been dumped into.  Gently and slowly he spoke back.

You are hiding things.  And making me a part of it.  And there are lies here, and I do not like lies.

Wilhelm rubbed his magnificent mustache as he thought.  Then he spoke.  I did lie to the cheesemaking brothers to spare their pride.  I would do so again.

That is not what this is about.

Well, I did not lie in this town.

You were trying to hide.

Wilhelm chuckled, and nodded.  Yes, I was.  And my friend, I did not tell you before because you have a face not suited to hiding things.  But hiding is not lying.

Brian considered that.  It was a fair point, even if he did not really like it either.  And it was true that he was never going to be a good poker player, as others had told him.

You had Hans pretend to sleep.  That is a lie, a deception.

Wilhelm thought, and then nodded.  Yes, you are right.  I apologize for that.  But I have reasons for what I do.

I would like to hear them.  Brian wondered if his host and friend was a smuggler.

We pay the taxes, and perhaps I would not, but the penalties are very harsh.  The taxman crippled a man with his punishment man’s whip last year.

Brian felt sick to his stomach at that image.  Wilhelm laid a hand on his arm, and looked up with compassionate blue eyes into Brian’s brown ones.

The reason I hide is that the taxman wants me to bow to him.  In public.  And I refuse to do so because he and his masters are not the rightful rulers of the Swiss.  If I bow, I say they are.

Brian was not sure how that was different from paying taxes, but evidently in Wilhelm’s mind it clearly was.  Perhaps it was some cultural thing he did not get.

And so you slip in and out of town?

This is the eighth month I’ve done it.  He has yet to catch me in person.  Wilhelm smiled with what looked like childish glee.  Brian shook his head, but could not contain his own smile.  It seemed a very dangerous game to play for pride, but it was more than pride, it was patriotism--and he could admit to himself that the idea of outfoxing a cruel tyrant appealed to his inner boy as well.

Fences mended the two went back to work to help Hans unload, and soon enough discreet merchants came.  It seemed that the location of the Tell’s disposal of their goods changed frequently, and also that many in the town were on Wilhelm’s side in the affair of not bowing.  He haggled and bartered, and occasionally parted with coin.  After a bit, he turned to Brian, explaining that he would be there with Hans for many hours, and Brian should see the town.

Brian thought about it, and eagerly agreed after consideration.  He went out the back of the barn, and began to walk the streets, gawking like the tourist he was.

There is a behind-the-writings look at the thoughts, influences, and ideas of this chapter, along with eleven other sequential chapters of this novel, in mark Joseph "young" web log entry #501:  Characters Orienting.  Given a moment, this link should take you directly to the section relevant to this chapter.  It may contain spoilers of upcoming chapters.

As to the old stories that have long been here:

The Online Games

---

Books by the Author

---

Go to Other Links

---

M. J. Young Net