Da Vinci's Cases #5: Leonardo and the Curse of the Black Death: Da Vinci's Cases, #5

By Alfred Bekker

Da Vinci's Cases

by Alfred Bekker

The scope of this book is 113 pages paperback.

When a beggar boy with dark spots in the face appears in the village, the inhabitants of Vinci are in bright excitement: The plague has broken out! Fortunately, a doctor is quickly available, who has a remedy for the Black Death. Leonardo would like to examine this remedy. But the doctor keeps his secret like his eyeball. And Leonardo is doing everything he can to disclose it.

Alfred Bekker, born in 1964, writes fantasy, historical novels, criminal novels and books for young readers. His historical adventures for young readers are full of suspense, stuff which even kids who hate reading cannot resist.

The German-language print editions appeared in 2008/2009 in the Arena Taschenbuchverlag;

Translations are available in Turkish, Indonesian, Danish and Bulgarian.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alfred Bekker
• Release date: Aug 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386103813

Alfred Bekker

Alfred Bekker wurde am 27.9.1964 in Borghorst (heute Steinfurt) geboren und wuchs in den münsterländischen Gemeinden Ladbergen und Lengerich auf. 1984 machte er Abitur, leistete danach Zivildienst auf der Pflegestation eines Altenheims und studierte an der Universität Osnabrück für das Lehramt an Grund- und Hauptschulen. Insgesamt 13 Jahre war er danach im Schuldienst tätig, bevor er sich ausschließlich der Schriftstellerei widmete. Schon als Student veröffentlichte Bekker zahlreiche Romane und Kurzgeschichten. Er war Mitautor zugkräftiger Romanserien wie Kommissar X, Jerry Cotton, Rhen Dhark, Bad Earth und Sternenfaust und schrieb eine Reihe von Kriminalromanen. Angeregt durch seine Tätigkeit als Lehrer wandte er sich schließlich auch dem Kinder- und Jugendbuch zu, wo er Buchserien wie 'Tatort Mittelalter', 'Da Vincis Fälle', 'Elbenkinder' und 'Die wilden Orks' entwickelte. Seine Fantasy-Romane um 'Das Reich der Elben', die 'DrachenErde-Saga' und die 'Gorian'-Trilogie machten ihn einem großen Publikum bekannt. Darüber hinaus schreibt er weiterhin Krimis und gemeinsam mit seiner Frau unter dem Pseudonym Conny Walden historische Romane. Einige Gruselromane für Teenager verfasste er unter dem Namen John Devlin. Für Krimis verwendete er auch das Pseudonym Neal Chadwick. Seine Romane erschienen u.a. bei Blanvalet, BVK, Goldmann, Lyx, Schneiderbuch, Arena, dtv, Ueberreuter und Bastei Lübbe und wurden in zahlreiche Sprachen übersetzt.

Book preview

Leonardo and the Curse of the Black Death

Da Vinci's Cases

by Alfred Bekker

The scope of this book is 113 pages paperback.

When a beggar boy with dark spots in the face appears in the village, the inhabitants of Vinci are in bright excitement: The plague has broken out! Fortunately, a doctor is quickly available, who has a remedy for the Black Death. Leonardo would like to examine this remedy. But the doctor keeps his secret like his eyeball. And Leonardo is doing everything he can to disclose it.

Alfred Bekker, born in 1964, writes fantasy, historical novels, criminal novels and books for young readers. His historical adventures for young readers are full of suspense, stuff which even kids who hate reading cannot resist.

The German-language print editions appeared in 2008/2009 in the Arena Taschenbuchverlag;

Translations are available in Turkish, Indonesian, Danish and Bulgarian.

Copyright

© by Alfred Bekker

© 2017 of the digital edition AlfredBekker/CassiopeiaPress

A CassiopeiaPress E-Book

www.AlfredBekker.de

[e-mail]

Chapter 1: Mysterious Signs

Candlelight flickered in the half-dark room. Shadows danced on the walls of the cool vault.

Leonardo looked at the ranks of the mysterious signs. Some seemed like drawings, and were lovingly painted. Others resembled animals, were very complicated and were each surrounded by a long oval.

What’s the meaning of these signs on the paper? Leonardo asked.

This is neither paper nor parchment, but papyrus, corrected the old man in the precious robe and with a golden chain around his neck. He held out his wrinkled hand with thin fingers. A ring with the seal of the Medici family decorated his fourth finger, one with the seal of the city of Florence was placed on the middle finger. And the signs are Egyptian hieroglyphs, which were used long ago ...

How long ago? Leonardo asked.

The old man raised his eyebrows and a mild smile glided over his face.

You know the stories about Moses and how he demanded the freedom of the people of Israel from Pharaoh?

Yes, my Grandfather told me about it. And sometimes the priest in church ...

At the time of Moses, probably these signs were used.

And what do they mean?

Nobody knows. Sometimes clear images are in between – of animals mostly. But what they mean in the context of the other characters and whether they are letters or if the whole sign stands for a concept ... The old man shrugged. I have not the slightest idea, even though I have made every effort to figure it out. I have brought the most clever scholars to Florence. But no one has solved the riddle. Who knows, maybe someone in the future will manage it. Someone who understands the secret scripture, like you, because there must be a system behind everything!

The old man was Cosimo de 'Medici.

He was the head of the richest and most powerful family in Florence and also the Lord of the City. Cosimo had already been around for 80 years, but he still held the power in his hands and did not even think of giving it to a successor.

Through the trade of wool, Cosimo, as a young man, had ensured that the Medici family became rich and powerful. But he had not put a part of the wealth into palaces or luxury, but instead financed his collector’s passion. Cosimo collected old writings. Above all, works of the ancient Romans and Greeks, as well as Arabic and Hebrew books, were numerous. Through all Europe he himself had traveled to acquire ancient writings. Later he had scholars in his service who did this at his place. They traveled to the Holy Land to Jerusalem or to Cairo and Alexandria in Egypt. Thus, Cosimo de 'Medici had collected a vast collection in the course of time.

And that Leonardo had the opportunity to rummage around in this unique collection, he owed the fact that his father Ser Piero occasionally worked as a notary and clerk for the city of Florence.

There is so much that humanity has forgotten in the last thousand years, my boy, Cosimo said. The ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Persians ... In their writings are so many discoveries, inventions, thoughts ... Cosimo really seemed to be touched. He was looking towards nothingness, as if he was remembering the old days, when he had traveled through countless countries, searching for writings.

How could it happen that these things have been forgotten? Leonardo asked. And why did you have to travel around Europe to collect all the books? It would have been possible to make a library to be visited by everyone, long before.

The old texts in Greek and Latin have been partly erased from the parchments in order to write something else on it, Cosimo said. "Above all, of course, texts that arose before the Christian faith! For them, they were books by unbelieving heathens! Why should they be kept while parchment or paper was so scarce?

Fortunately, the Arabs copied and translated many of the Greek texts so that they still exist ..."

Cosimo now turned to Ser Piero, who was also in the room and had just listened all the time. You have a very intelligent son, Ser Piero, he said. Does he already know what he wants to be?

He is interested in so much, said Ser Piero. He draws imagination machines and likes to watch the animals in nature. He likes to paint and is also a skilled craftsman. That's why I think it's best for him to learn in an artist's workshop.

Cosimo nodded. That’s good, said the City Lord of Florence, and it annoyed Leonardo that they were talking about him now, as if he were not there. Just like about a child, he thought. He didn’t think about the fact that it was extraordinary that Cosimo de 'Medici took the time to rummage around in old writings with a boy from the village. But perhaps the City Lord sensed that Leonardo was filled with the same interest in these mysterious things. Steps were suddenly heard.

They echoed in the vault. A servant of the House of Medici approached, bowed, and said, My Lord, you have told me to remind you that you must go now to the great hall. The negotiations with the envoy from Milan ...

Cosimo raised his hand and made a strained face. Ah, do not remind me of these unpleasant things, he replied. Tell him that I am about to arrive!

Yes, the servant nodded, then bowed again and went away.

Cosimo now rose. You heard it, my boy, the government business is calling me.

Mr. Cosimo, leave this papyrus to me! Leonardo said. Maybe I could solve the riddle of the hieroglyphs for you!

I'm sorry, but this piece is too precious to give it out of hand, Cosimo said. You can look at it, but only here in the rooms of my library ...

Then let me copy this document, said Leonardo. Because I do not know if the right idea to decipher the meaning comes to me at this place.

Cosimo took a deep breath. But before the City Lord could say something, Ser Piero spoke up. Excuse me, Sir, my son’s demand seems to me quite insolent and therefore ...

To me, it’s only right, Cosimo said to Ser Piero's surprise. Who am I to stand in the way of a talent.

You are very generous, said Ser Piero, bowing deeply.

You too, Ser Piero, Cosimo replied. After all, you must wait for your son until he will have finished his drawings – and not me!

After Cosimo de Medici had left, Leonardo went to work at once. The notary Ser Piero always had paper and pencil in his pocket, after all, it was his profession to draw up contracts and letters for other people who were not able to do so.

Leonardo looked closely at the signs and pictures. The drawings of beings whose bodies looked like human beings, but possessed an animal head, were striking. Men with crocodile heads, catheads, and those