CHAPTER 22
Neither judge nor condemn a stranger
upon first acquaintance, pilgrim.
Judgement must be a string of actions
and deeds to ponder on; not the first
fleeting glimpse of someone you have just
encountered.
-FROM THE BOOK OF ST. ALBANS-
As the winter deepened the morass of dark suspicions and brooding conspiracies continued to simmer. Malagna was like an iron kettle setting over a blazing fire. Underneath its heavy lid the black liquid of suspicions and hatreds began to froth and bubble. Factions openly fought each other in the dark alleys and narrow streets within the city at night. Every morning one would rise and hear of the number of dead found. Each morning faction leaders would hurry to present themselves to Juris Malawei to exclaim their outrage and demand justice be d
