I said, “Susan, where’s the dress that Paul saw when we came to the shop?”

  She said, “I have it here,” and she stepped to a table and picked up the course tunic and held it out to me.

  I said, “We need to burn it.”

  Paul said, “Burn it?”

  Susan smiled and said, “I’ll do it now! Come on. We have a fire. It will take only a moment!”

  Susan rushed across the street to a barrel where trash was placed for burning and said, “Who wants to throw it in?”

  I said, “Unless Viola wants to do it, I would ask you to do the favor for us. Viola and I have no need of it and she has no need to have it ever touch her again.”

  Susan looked to Viola, who had followed the rest of us to the fire pit and said, “Sister, will you let me do this for you? There’s no need for you to trouble yourself with this old thing.”

  Viola was crying as we stood in the street. Susan put her arm around the girl, and wadding up the ugly thing, threw it into the low flame. It ignited immediately and within seconds was charred and on its way to being fully consumed.

  Susan said boisterously, “I feel wonderful. What a day this is! Husband, how is it for you?”

  Paul smiled and said, “I’ve had a day that changes lives I think. And I don’t mean our friends Joshua and Viola, I mean me and the women of my house. Susan, our friend has taught me quite a bit in a short time and I look forward to…showing you and the others what he’s told me today.”

  Susan said, “Then, if they have no other plans, have them come to dinner at our home! I’ll tell Amanda that we will have two new friends for supper.”

  Paul smiled and said, “Yes. And Joshua, don’t worry, though you suggested my course for the supper table tonight, I’ll wait until we retire for the evening. But you have business. Run along and come back here at closing time and we’ll go to my farm together. What a day this has been…and what a night as well.”

  We all made our way back across the street to the shop and I asked, “Viola, did you get everything that you need? Underwear or other things?”

  Viola said, “Underwear?” and she looked at Susan with a question.

  Susan shrugged and looked to Paul.

  Paul smiled and leaned in to my ear and said, “Joshua, are you going mountain climbing? Unless you plan to travel in the snow, a woman needs no underwear.”

  I thought to myself that it sounded nice to know that Viola was naked under the dress, just like she had been under the tunic earlier.

  I said, “Well, this may be a stupid question as well, but what about something to sleep in?”

  Viola smiled and blushed and Susan said, “Now that’s a very reasonable and important question. We chose something very…appropriate for that very thing. I’ll hold it for you until you return from your errands, but I assure you, I’m not convinced that any woman has ever looked as ready for bed as this dear one does in the thing that she’ll wear tonight.”

  Paul looked quickly at Susan and she said to him, “Yes. I mean what I say. A big mistake must have been made putting the dress of a Nogud on this girl. Now, send our friends away to conduct their business. We’ll see them when their errands are done.”

  Paul shook my hand and Susan hugged Viola and then she hugged me.

  She whispered in my ear, “Joshua, she loves you. Thank you for blessing every woman in the village in this way,” and I saw that a tear fell from her eye as well.

  Viola and I were sent away with warm wishes and the pretty girl led me down the street.

  I said, “Viola, you’re so beautiful. The dress is beautiful.”

  I reached down and took her hand in mine and held it.

  Viola said, “Joshua, my master, you’ve made me happy, but there’s still the matter of the examination.”

  I said, “Viola, do you think that you love me yet?”

  She gasped and said, “I do. I do love you. No matter what happens.”

  I said, “And, Viola, I love you. I’m determined that when we have coins, I will go to the Merchant of Women and I will pay his price even if he asks a hundred times more…and then I will pay for the license as well.”

  Viola gasped again and said, “But, Master, a license! Wait, you don’t know what you are saying, you don’t know our customs so…”

  I said, “Paul explained the custom to me and I’m settled in my mind that I must have a license between us or my life will be meaningless.”

  She said, “But, if you have a license…”

  I said, “If I have a license, and a token of bedmates, then we are bound together and there is no separating us unless I die.”

  She cried, “But the examination!”

  I said, “Viola, let me tell you something and I insist that you believe me. Can you do that? Is there some custom that because you call me Master that you should try to trust me?”

  She said, “You are my master, and yes, I’ll do whatever you say and so if you tell me that I must trust you, then I must, but…”

  I said, “Then I tell you to trust me in this: the examination was performed wrong. I’ll perform my own examination and I know that you’ll pass and that I’ll make you happy and show you pleasure and that you’ll fill me with pleasure as well. I promise you. Unless you deny me, I want to register the license this afternoon!”

  She cried and squeezed my hand and said, “I trust you. I love you. I will make you happy somehow.”

  I said, “Good. You’ll see. Before tomorrow, you’ll see that I’m right.” We took a few more steps, me holding her hand tightly. I said, “So, what do you think of Paul and Susan?”

  Viola tried to calm herself and said, “They were very wonderful. Susan was so kind to me and treated me like a real woman. She wasn’t repulsed by me. She pretended that she didn’t know that I was an untouchable and I started to believe that it was true. Will we go to their home for dinner? And eat at their table?”

  I said, “You and I were alone. We found each other and now we’ll stay together. Paul and Susan are our first friends. We should go and get to know their family. Paul says that there are two more bedmates and one more woman who’s with them as well.”

  Viola said, “Susan told us that she wants to teach me. I think that she meant it. I was taught certain things, but because I was untouchable, I didn’t learn about food or cooking or laundry or anything about keeping a house beyond the most basic lessons. When I was judged, I was only taught about caring for a barn or stable or running errands and sometimes negotiating prices for goods. And also the handling of money and how to read and write and do some calculations.”

  I said, “I think that it will be good if you want to learn those things about taking care of our home. Viola, do you know how I know for certain that you are not an untouchable?”

  She asked, “How?”

  I smiled and said, “Because I’m holding your hand and you wear a very pretty dress and because you have a name. Do the Nogud have those things?”

  She smiled and said, “No. They don’t. A Nogud doesn’t have a name. And no man holds her hand and squeezes it to tell her that she’s loved. And they certainly don’t wear a dress like this. And they do not show their faces in public and they never feel the sun on their cheeks and…”

  She paused and I asked, “And what?”

  She said slowly, “And they never stand naked before a man that they call Master and have him tell her that she’s beautiful.”

  I said, “See, I’m right! You must be a very fine woman because you have the dress and a man, and you say that you love me and I’m going to pay for the license. It’s time for us to admit what we see. Do you think that I’m a fool?”

  She laughed and said, “Master, how could I say such a thing? It would be out of place. But, if I could say it, I’d say, certainly not! But you are strange. The strangeness doesn’t make you a fool even if others think that it does.”

  I smiled and said, “And, do you think me foolish if I find a hidden treasure and give everything I have to obtain the one thing that pleases me most in all the world?”

  She said, “It makes you a wise man who sees value where other men do not.”

  I said, “Oh, and where is the dress that a Nogud wore an hour ago?”

  Viola smiled and said, “I don’t know. It seemed that my Joshua burned it.”

  I asked, “And why did he do that?”

  She said, “Well, it must have been because he had no use for it. He had no untouchable to wear it so he burned the tunic of the Nogud.”

  I said, “Yes. My women wear white dresses!”

  She asked me, “Joshua, why did you ask about underwear? Are we going mountain climbing?”

  I laughed and said, “No, it was because of customs from wherever I’m from. Apparently women wear underwear in some places.”

  She said, “It would get in the way.”

  I asked, “In the way?”

  She said, “In the way of pleasure. A Nogud will never have pleasure, well, maybe someday, like today even a Nogud will have pleasure, but even she who has no hope stays naked under her tunic in desperate hope that she might be taken to bed someday. That’s the blessing, ‘I hope you find happiness someday’. If that day comes, even she wants to be ready.”

  I said, “I’m very glad. Viola, I find your body very attractive. I’ll show you before long, I promise. Have you seen a man naked? Do you know about men’s bodies?”

  She said, “It was part of our training. You are very handsome, and um, I am intrigued to see…I mean, I told you that if we traveled together that we would end up seeing each other and…though I was ashamed that you would have to see me, I wasn’t ashamed at the thought that I’d have to see you. Oh Master, I’m embarrassed.”

  I said, “But intrigued? That makes me happy. I wouldn’t want you to be repulsed by me.”

  She said, “Um, no Master, I’m not going to be repulsed. Master, it’s unusual, I mean, the custom is to apply for the license after the first mating, not before.”

  I said, “Yes, but the merchant of women might leave before we get a chance and I don’t want to risk him leaving before I have one. You’ll have a license this afternoon. If he leaves during the night for some reason, it will already be done and I will be happy.”

  We had stopped and were standing facing each other in the street.

  She said, “This is the collector.”

  I turned to look where we were and sure enough, beside us was a stall with various artifacts and curios.

  As I turned and showed interest, a man said, “Good afternoon! What interests you my good man?’

  Viola said, “We have something that you might be interested in. We seek a fair price and nothing more.”

  The man smiled and said, “I like to hear it. Of course, a fair price that we both profit from. I’ll give you what I can. What do you have for sale today.”

  I reached into the pocket of my new pants and took the dollar bill in my fist and pressed it into Viola’s hand. She unfolded the bill and held it by the edges and showed it to the man.

  He narrowed his eyes and said, “A dollar bill? Let me see,” and he reached out and took the paper from Viola’s hand.

  He looked closely and then dug in a pocket for a magnifying loop and looked even more closely.

  He said, “This is very old and very fine. The marking is 2015. This is eight hundred years old as near as we know. But it looks to be in immaculate condition. How do you come by this? Forgive me, I’m not questioning your right to it. I’m only asking in order to determine the likelihood that you might have more items that you wish to sell in the future.”

  Viola said, “My Master is a treasure hunter. This is a small portion of our inventory at the moment and we sell this to have funds for our next expedition. You are interested?”

  The man removed the loop from his eye and held out his hand to me.

  He said, “Sir, I am Tobias. I feel fortunate that you stopped into my stall. I’ll tell you everything because that’s how I am.”

  I shook his hand and said, “Tobias, my name is Joshua. I appreciate your friendship.”

  He eyed me carefully and said, “A rare man recognizes friendship so easily, especially when dealing with a merchant, since all men expect that he desires to take advantage of them…and many think to take advantage of him as well. Joshua? I think that I’m glad to know you. As for this one dollar bill, I can give you 850. I’ll tell you that I’ll have to travel a long way to make a profit on it, but when I do, I’ll sell it to a collector for 1000. If you think it’s better for you, I’ll tell you his name and the name of the village where you can find him.”

  Viola said, “Mr Tobias, my master prefers that all men make a profit. You have a shop and this is how you make a living. My master is a treasure hunter, not a traveling merchant. He’s happy for you to profit doing what you do best as long as he profits doing what he does best. If this is what you say and if you will make 150 on the transaction, that’s satisfactory.”

  I nodded, happy to let the girl take care of it.

  Tobias smiled and said, “Sir, your woman is a credit to you.” Turning to Viola again he said, “Madam, I can do better under one condition. If you have another of these, or something else just as valuable, I can do nine hundred a piece. That way I make one journey and I earn two hundred for my trouble. Do you have another? Or something comparable?”

  Viola said, “We do. We have another like this. I can bring it in an hour. Do we have a deal?”

  Tobias smiled and said, “We do! Very well. I’ll give you 850 now and when you come back, if the other is like the first, I’ll give you another 50, plus another 900 the second. I’ll have to leave tomorrow morning or the day after, or simply wait and buy nothing more until I sell more than I buy. If it’s what you say, I’ll probably leave tomorrow. I’ll be gone at least ten days, but when I return, I’ll be happy to see any more treasures that you want to show me. Perhaps this will be a good partnership. I feel like it will. Shall I count out the first 850?”

  Viola said, “That will be fine. Any denomination of coins will be good, but a good mix of small and large will be best for us.”

  Tobias said, “Good, I’ll count it for you,” and he turned to his safe box.

  I looked at Viola and smiled and shook my head and she said, “Mr Tobias, my master says that he trusts you and if you say that the sack contains the full amount then that’s enough.”

  The man looked back over his shoulder and said, “I like you very much, Joshua. Give me just a moment. Here, four 50 cent pieces, twenty 25 cent pieces, that’s 700. And now ten 10 cent pieces, five five-cent pieces, and 25 one-cent pieces. That makes 850. Is that a good mix?”

  Viola said, “That will be fine. Thank you sir. I’ll return within the hour with the other item.”

  Tobias shook my hand again and said, “It has been a pleasure. A real pleasure. Don’t forget me. We can be good partners.”

  I said, “Thank you. That sounds like a good plan. I won’t forget you.”

  Viola and I took our bag of coins and left, walking toward the main square where we’d first met.

  She said, “Master, to purchase the license, we must appear together.”

  I squeezed her hand and said, “Then let’s hurry. I won’t change my mind.”

  She said, “As you wish, but why must we hurry?”

  I said, “It will be faster that way.”

  I laughed and pulled her along in the direction of the central square.

  We were very close to the Merchant of Women’s platform already and it took just a minute to find the place. No one was visible, so I called out, “Hello, Merchant?”

  I said quietly to Viola, “This time, let me handle the talking.”

  The man stepped from behind curtains on the platform and said, “Ah, you’re back already. I was afraid of it. I had hoped…, but it’s your decision and there are no hard feelings.”

  I walked up to him and held my hand out to him and he pulled me onto the raised platform.

  I said, “I am Joshua. We didn’t exchange names before.”

  He shook my hand and said, “I’m happy to meet you, Joshua. I’m Antonio. An odd name, I know, but it is my name. Have you brought the Nogud back to me? I don’t see her. She hasn’t run away has she?”

  I said, “No, she hasn’t run away. And I haven’t brought her back to you. I’ve considered what you said to me and I have found that she is more pleasant to have around than many would expect, and if your offer stands, I would like to pay her fee and keep her with me. I promise you that I’ll give her a home and not try to sell her in another town.”

  The man said, “I liked you from the beginning! Sell her in another town! You have a sense of humor. But I do appreciate your assurance. OK, I told you four coins. Thank you for being kind to her. She has never been any trouble.”

  I smiled and said, “Four coins,” and I counted out four cents into his hand.

  He said, “Thank you again. I hope that she finds happiness someday, but we say that, knowing that it will never be.”

  I said, “She will be as happy as I can make her. But there’s another matter,” and I indicated Viola.

  He smiled and said, “A registration of license?”

  I nodded.

  He said, “A happy day! And somehow I thought that you were a newcomer to this village. Come forward my dear woman. Come up here and I’ll call my assistant and we’ll get your license.”

  Viola looked surprised that the man accepted her so readily, but I winked at her and when she stood beside me I whispered, “Shush. Stay quiet. Even he doesn’t see you as anyone but the pretty girl who wants a license. You heard him say that he doesn’t see a Nogud here.”

  A woman joined the man, Antonio, and smiled at us as she sat at the table.

 

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