Chapter 12 Summary

Birle is lead away to a small house. Dazed, she finds herself weeping. Some time later, a pounding on the door awakens her. It is a slight dark man in a crimson cloak. The soldiers unload a cart of household goods, grumbling all the time. The older man, named Joaquim, returns. His brother is Corbel, the man in the crimson cloak. Corbel instructs the soldiers to put collars on the two slaves.

Corbel tells Birle she is to be Joaquim's housekeeper. Yul will do the heavy work. When Corbel learns that Joaquim has paid an entire gold coin for Yul, he is furious. "Who cheats you cheats me. Who had the man?" he demands. Corbel rushes off, but first tells Birle he will return to inspect the house in one week.

The next morning, Joaquim explains that he is a philosopher. He has...