Eifelheim - Michael Flynn [146]
Joachim grunted. “Your master is right about the vanity of worldly knowledge, but wrong about which book should be studied.”
The Jew took another spoon of porridge. “Everywhere I go, I hear this thing. In Muslim lands, too, but there, only Koran fit for study.”
“The Muslims were wonderful scholars once,” Dietrich said. “And I have heard of your Maimonides—as great a scholar as our Thomas and the Saracen Averröes.”
“Master is calling Maimonists worse heretics than Samaritans. ‘Destroy, burn and root them out,’ he say. Is poputar idea, I am thinking, for all folk. Muslims, too.” Tarkhan shrugged. “Oy! Everyone else persecute Jews. Why not other Jews? Maimon himself was flee Cordoba because Ispanish rabbis persecute him. Until master say this,” he added, “I never hear of him. So I was follow teacher I never hear?”
Dietrich chuckled. “For a Jew, you are a man of wit.”
Tarkhan’s grin vanished. “Yes. ‘For a Jew.’ But I find it so in all land. Some men wise, some fools; some wicked, some good. Some all of that, sometimes. I say Christian can be save in his religion, as Jew can in his, or Muslim in his.” He paused. “Master is never telling you this, but we escape Regensburg because guilds take arms and fight Jew-killers. There gave in that city, two hundred and seven and thirty righteous gentiles.”
“May God bless those men,” said Dietrich.
“Omayn.”
“Now,” Dietrich said, as he carried the bowls to the sideboard, “let us sit by the hearth, and hear of this Golden Empire.”
The Jew planted himself upon a stool while Dietrich stirred the logs to encourage the flames. Outside, wind rushed and the afternoon windows darkened with the clouds.
“This tale from old time,” Tarkhan said, “so how much true? But is good tale, so no matter. In old times, in north of Persia, live ‘Mountain Jews,’ Simeon tribe, put there by Asshurrim. But many laws forgot until King Joseph find Talmud again. They know Elijah and Amos, Micah and Nahum, but now come flatland Jews from Babylon tell of new prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekial. Then pagan Turks come over to One God. Together we create Golden Empire. Our merchants go I’Stamboul, Baghdad, even Cathay.”
“Merchants,” said Joachim, who had affected not to listen. “You had much gold, then.”
“Among Turks each direction is having color. South white, west gold, and Khazars then west-most of all Turks. Itli Khan name seven judges. Two judging our people by Talmud; two judging Christians; two judging Muslims by shari’a. Seventh judge pagans, who were worship sky. Many years our khan fight Arab, Bulgar, Greek, Rus. I see in old book, Jewish knight in chainmail riding steppe pony.”
Dietrich stared in astonishment. “I have never heard of this empire!”
Tarkhan struck his breast. “Like all grown proud, Lord bring us low. Rus take Kiev and Itli. All this happen long ago, and most are forgotting, save some, like me, who love for old tales. Land rule now by Mongols and Poles; and I, whose fathers once kings, must serve Ispanish moneylender.”
“You don’t like Malachai,” Dietrich guessed.
“His mother find that hard. Ispanish Jews proud, with strange customs. Eat rice cakes for Passover!”
WHEN DIETRICH later showed Tarkhan to the door, he said, “It has grown dark. Can you find Niederhochwald?”
The Jew shrugged. “Mule can find. I ride with him.”
“I would …” Dietrich dipped his head, looked away for a moment at the stars. “I would thank you. Though I never wished your people any harm, never before have I seen a Jew as a man. Always it was ‘a Jew is a Jew!’”
Tarkhan scowled. “True. But by us, Greek and Roman notzrim are same.”
Dietrich recalled how the Krenken had seemed at first alike. “It is the strangeness,” he said. “Just as the trees of a distant forest blend into