ore washer at the mill, of Kuttenberg
“I pick silver from the mud and try to keep my pale face clean. If the coughing takes me, I only hope it is not in a ditch.”
Things Grete had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the eve of Pentecost, at Vespers
The water at the troughs was not so biting today, but the mud gets into everything. Else dropped a stone and Peter docked her a penny without blinking. At least he pays us on time.
Nota scribaeShe coughed throughout the dictation, covering her mouth with a filthy rag.
the Thursday after the Invention of the Holy Cross, at None
I am eating hot cabbage soup from my bare hands because Alice still has my good tin plate. She says it is a pledge for boots. It is not. She stole it when packing the carter's sack, and she knows it.
the second day of Easter week, at Prime
Kunigunde brought back some good bread today. She is a harsh woman, but she knows how to run a house. I made sure to fetch her water. Better to have her on my side when the shouting starts.
Keep fetching the water and we will have no trouble, girl. Just mind your coughing.
the Tuesday after Laetare Sunday, at Sext
Alice is still weeping over Standa. The man strained his own gut lifting a cart wheel in the freezing rain. I took his spot in the dry cart because I was sick with a fever. It was a grown man's choice. I did not kill him.
You faked that fever and you know it. He gave up his dry spot for you and died of the flux for his trouble.
I am still coughing up phlegm from that cursed road. My sickness was real, you bitter cow.
Nota scribaeThe woman was highly defensive and spoke very loudly for one claiming a weak chest.
the day after Candlemas, at Compline
My chest aches fiercely tonight. The damp in this boarding house is a misery, but at least we have a roof. We were paid our four groschen. I will buy some garlic to chew. Better than dying in a wet ditch like a fool.
Chew the garlic, Grete. The coughing keeps the rest of us awake all night.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
He has eyes in the back of his head, that German. A penny lost for nothing.