day labourer of Kuttenberg, of Kuttenberg
“I keep my head down and scrub floors. There is nothing else left for a body to do.”
Things Edith had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the eve of Whitsun, at Vespers
My knuckles are bleeding again from scrubbing Katherine Braun's floors. A whole morning on my hands and knees for one piece of stale bread. I sat in an alley to chew it and wished the widow Agnes was still alive. At least her cellar floor was dry dirt.
the Tuesday after Easter, at None
Madlen is at me again to walk out to the burned parishes to find her family. I just stared at my feet and sighed. The roads are thick with mercenaries who would gut us for a penny. Why cannot she see they are dead and leave me in peace?
Please, Edith. They might be hiding in the woods. You know the paths better than anyone.
Leave her be, Madlen. She is not going to walk into a Cuman camp for your ghosts.
Nota scribaeDictated in a whisper while looking over her shoulder.
the feast of St Gregory, at Prime
I went to the wash troughs only because I had to. Margery was shrieking that Christine still has her good iron shears from Candlemas. I kept my mouth shut and stared at the water. They are all bringing ruin on themselves with this bickering. I just want quiet.
If you saw her with them, Edith, you ought to speak up! A thief is a thief.
the first Friday of Lent, at Terce
Bread is dearer again today. The town is stuffed with country folk like me fleeing the soldiers, driving the wages down to nothing. I slept by the bakehouse ovens last night just to keep the frost off my bones. Praise be for warm bricks.
Aye, the bakers are robbing us blind and the guards do nothing.
the week after Candlemas, at Compline
The widow Agnes is dead of the coughing sickness, God rest her soul. Her new landlord threw us girls out of the cellar before she was even cold in the earth. I suppose it is the streets for me now.
I gave her water at the end. She was a good soul to let us sleep there for a single groschen.
Nota scribaeShe wiped her nose on her sleeve throughout the telling.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
You missed a spot by the hearth, girl. See that you scrub harder next time if you want a whole groschen.