So I had to push on ahead,as weak as I was.And little by little,with the help of some good people,I ended up in this great city of Toledo.And here,by the grace of God,my wounds healed in about two weeks.People were always giving me things while I was hurt,but when I was well again,they told me,"You--you're nothing but a lazy,no-good sponger.Go on--go find yourself a good master you can work for."
"And where will I meet up with one of those,"I said to myself,"unless God makes him from scratch,the way he created the world?"
While I was going along begging from door to door (without much success,since charity seemed to have gone up to heaven),God had me run into a squire who was walking down the street.He was well dressed,his hair was combed,and he walked and looked like a real gentleman.I looked at him,and he looked at me,and he said,"Boy,are you looking for a master?"
And I said,"Yes,sir."
"Well,come with me,"he said."God has been good to you,making you run into me.You must have been doing some good praying today."
So I went with him.And I thanked God that he asked me to go along because--with his nice-looking clothes and the way he looked--I thought he was just what I needed.
It was morning when I found my third master.And I followed him through most of the city.We went through squares where they were selling bread and different things.And I was hoping and praying that he would load me up with some of the food they were selling because it was just the right time for shopping.But very quickly,without stopping,we went right past those places.Maybe he doesn't like what he sees here,I thought,and he wants to buy his groceries somewhere else.
So we kept on walking until it was eleven o'clock.Then he went into the cathedral,and I was right behind him.I saw him listen to mass and go through the other holy ceremonies very devoutly,until it was over and the people had gone.Then we came out of the church.
We began to go down a street at a good clip.And I was the happiest fellow in the world,since we hadn't stopped to buy any food.I really thought my new master was one of those people who do all their shopping at once,and that our meal would be there,ready and waiting for us,just the way I wanted--and,in fact,the way I needed.
At that minute the clock struck one--an hour past noon--and we came to a house where my master stopped,and so did I.And pulling his cape to the left,he took a key out of his sleeve and opened the door,and we both went into the house.The entrance was dark and gloomy:it looked like it would make anyone who went in afraid.But inside there was a little patio and some fairly nice rooms.
Once we were in,he took off his cape:he asked me if my hands were clean,and then we shook it out and folded it.And blowing the dust very carefully off a stone bench that was there,he put the cape down on top of it.And when that was done,he sat down next to it and asked me a lot of questions about where I was from and how I'd happened to come to that city.
I talked about myself longer than I wanted to because I thought it was more a time to have the table set and the stew dished up than to tell him about all that.Still,I satisfied him about myself,lying as well as I could.I told him all my good points but kept quiet about the rest,since I didn't think that was the time for them.When that was over,he just sat there for a while.I began to realize that that was a bad sign,since it was almost two o'clock and I hadn't seen him show any more desire to eat than a dead man.
Then I began to think about his keeping the door locked,and the fact that I hadn't heard any other sign of life in the whole house.The only thing I'd seen were walls:not a chair,not a meat-cutting board,a stool,a table,or even a chest like the one I'd had before.And I began to wonder if that house was under a spell.While I was thinking about this,he said to me,"Boy,have you eaten?"
"No,sir,"I said."It wasn't even eight o'clock when I met you."
"Well,even though it was still morning,I'd already had breakfast.And when I eat like that,I want you to know that I'm satisfied until nighttime.So you'll just have to get along as well as you can:we'll have supper later."
You can see how,when I heard this,I nearly dropped in my tracks--not so much from hunger but because fate seemed to be going completely against me.Then all my troubles passed before my eyes again,and I began to cry over my hardships once more.I remembered my reasoning when I was thinking about leaving the priest:I figured that even though he was mean and stingy,it might turn out that I would meet up with someone worse.So there I was,moping over the hard life I'd had and over my death that was getting nearer and nearer.
And yet,keeping back my emotions as well as I could,I said to him,"Sir,I am only a boy,and thank God I'm not too concerned about eating.I can tell you that I was the lightest eater of all my friends,and all the masters I've ever had have praised that about me right up to now."
"That really is a virtue,"he said,"and it makes me appreciate you even more.Because only pigs stuff themselves:gentlemen eat moderately.''
I get the picture!I thought to myself.Well,damn all the health and virtue that these masters I run into find in staying hungry.
I went over next to the door and took out of my shirt some pieces of bread that I still had from begging.When he saw this,he said to me,"Come here,boy.What are you eating?"
I went over to him and showed him the bread.There were three pieces,and he took one--the biggest and best one.Then he said,"Well,well,this does look like good bread."
"It is!"I said."But tell me,sir,do you really think so now?"
"Yes,I do,"he said."Where did you get it?I wonder if the baker had clean hands?"
"I can't tell you that,"I said,but it certainly doesn't taste bad.""Let's see if you're right,"said my poor master.
And he put it in his mouth and began to gobble it down as ferociously as I was doing with mine.
"Bless me,this bread is absolutely delicious,"he said.
