The Baroque Cycle - The System Of The World Part 48

"The study of Natural Philosophy has not captivated the Whigs of the new generation," Bolingbroke concluded.

"The Royal Society Royal Society has not captivated them," Ravenscar corrected him. "What they study besides has not captivated them," Ravenscar corrected him. "What they study besides politics politics and and wenches, wenches, I know not." I know not."

At this, cautious laughter, less of amus.e.m.e.nt than of relief that a conversation seemed to be getting underway.

"My lord Ravenscar tries to stir up the old rumor that I know as much of wenches as Sir Isaac knows of gravity."

"Indeed, like gravity, the fair s.e.x doth exert a continual pull on us all."

"But you change the subject-granted, to a more fascinating topic," Bolingbroke said. "Is not the Royal Society the world's foremost salon salon for the discussion of Natural Philosophy? How can a man claim to be an for the discussion of Natural Philosophy? How can a man claim to be an amateur amateur of learning, and yet not aspire to become a Fellow? Or has it gone into decline? I've no way of knowing. Haven't been to a meeting in ages. A shame really." of learning, and yet not aspire to become a Fellow? Or has it gone into decline? I've no way of knowing. Haven't been to a meeting in ages. A shame really."

"We have reached that part of dinner when we shove our chairs back, throw our napkins down, and pat our bellies," Ravenscar observed. "Does that signify that your party has gone into decline?"

"I understand," said Bolingbroke, after allowing those close-set blue eyes to wander round the ceiling for a few moments, as if deep in thought. "You mean to say that the Royal Society gorged itself on learning in the early decades, and now takes a respite, to digest all that it took in."

"Something like that."

"Too, is it not necessary, when one has acquired acquired much, to much, to defend defend it?" it?"

"That sounds as if it might have a double meaning, my lord."

"Oh, don't be tedious. It has a single meaning, to do with Sir Isaac, and the fraudulent claims of the infamous Hanoverian Hanoverian plagiarist, Baron von what's-his-name-" plagiarist, Baron von what's-his-name-"

"All the Hanoverians I I have met are sterling characters," said Ravenscar stolidly. have met are sterling characters," said Ravenscar stolidly.

"Obviously you've not made the acquaintance of George Louis's wife!"

"No one can make her acquaintance as long as he keeps her locked up in that Schlo, my lord."

"Ah yes. Tell me, is it the same same Schlo in which Princess Caroline is said to have taken refuge, when she took it into her mind that Schlo in which Princess Caroline is said to have taken refuge, when she took it into her mind that has.h.i.+s.h.i.+n has.h.i.+s.h.i.+n were stalking her through the gardens?" were stalking her through the gardens?"

"I haven't heard that story, my lord-or if I have, I have not listened listened to it." to it."

"I have heard and listened-but I do not believe. I I suspect that the Princess is somewhere suspect that the Princess is somewhere else else."

"I have no idea where she is, my lord. But to get back to the Royal Society-"

"Yes. Let us do get back to it. Who can blame Sir Isaac, really?"

"Blame him for what, my lord?"

"For setting aside the pursuit of Natural Philosophy to defend his legacy from the aggression of the German."

"You place me in an impossible situation, my lord-I almost feel as if we are in the House of Lords again, disputing an Act. But I shall answer a question you have not not asked, and say that if fewer young men are coming to the Royal Society of late, it is perhaps because listening to Sir Isaac rant about Leibniz; perusing the latest incriminating doc.u.ments about Leibniz; and sitting on committees, tribunals, and Star Chambers intended to prosecute Leibniz in absentia, simply does not happen to be their notion of a Good Time." asked, and say that if fewer young men are coming to the Royal Society of late, it is perhaps because listening to Sir Isaac rant about Leibniz; perusing the latest incriminating doc.u.ments about Leibniz; and sitting on committees, tribunals, and Star Chambers intended to prosecute Leibniz in absentia, simply does not happen to be their notion of a Good Time."

"Von Leibniz. Thank you for reminding me of the man's name. How shall we keep all of these dreadful German names straight if not for the Whigs, who know them so intimately?"

"It is difficult to acquire the German German tongue, when tongue, when French French ones are perpetually thrust into one's ears," Ravenscar answered; a jest that was greeted with awed and terrified silence round the table. ones are perpetually thrust into one's ears," Ravenscar answered; a jest that was greeted with awed and terrified silence round the table.

Bolingbroke reddened, then had a good chuckle. "My lord," he sputtered, "look at our fellow-revelers. Have you ever observed a more wooden bunch?"

"Only on a chessboard, my lord."

"It all comes of the fact that we have drifted off into prating of Natural Philosophy-the surest way to kill a conversation."

"On the contrary, my lord, you and I are having an excellent conversation."

"Indeed-but they they are not. Which is why we have Withdrawing Rooms, you know, and the like-so that enthusiasts may cabal in the corners and not bore the company to death!" are not. Which is why we have Withdrawing Rooms, you know, and the like-so that enthusiasts may cabal in the corners and not bore the company to death!"

"If this is all some sort of a ploy to get us to drink port wine, it is needlessly elaborate," observed Ravenscar.

"But where where shall we drink it?" Bolingbroke asked. shall we drink it?" Bolingbroke asked.

"I dare not say, my lord, for 'tis your your house." house."

"So it is. And I say that these these chaps, who plainly do not give a fig for Natural Philosophy, may drink it in the comfort of my Withdrawing Room; but you and I, inveterate enthusiasts that we are, shall repair to the observatory, three storeys above-far enough away that the other guests shall not suffer our philosophical prattle." chaps, who plainly do not give a fig for Natural Philosophy, may drink it in the comfort of my Withdrawing Room; but you and I, inveterate enthusiasts that we are, shall repair to the observatory, three storeys above-far enough away that the other guests shall not suffer our philosophical prattle."

"The Lord of the Manor has spoken; all must obey," announced Roger Comstock, Marquis of Ravenscar, and shoved his chair back; and that was how he and Bolingbroke ended up on the roof of the house, ogling the latter's Newtonian reflector. But as it was still twilight, and the stars were not out yet, her Majesty's Secretary of State had to content himself with aiming it at terrestrial terrestrial targets. The facility with which he did so gave Roger the idea that this was not the first time he had used the instrument to spy upon neighbors, near and far. targets. The facility with which he did so gave Roger the idea that this was not the first time he had used the instrument to spy upon neighbors, near and far.

"The seeing is excellent this evening," Bolingbroke sighed, "as the day was warm, and few have bothered to light fires."

"This port is of the best," Roger said, for they had brought a bottle up with them: the closest thing to manual labor that Bolingbroke's servants would suffer the master to perform.

"Spoils of political conquest, Roger. We all l.u.s.t after such spoils, do we not?"

"The profession of politics would be altogether too disagreeable," Roger allowed, "without compensations above and beyond what is strictly appropriate."

"Well said." Bolingbroke was hunched over the eyepiece, twiddling the tube of the telescope this way and that, homing in on a target to the east. Roger phant'sied he might be pointing it at the dome of St. Paul's, two miles away; but no, his host had trained it downwards, as at some target nearer to hand. By far the biggest and closest structure along that general bearing was Leiceister House, seen from here as a great rambling L-shaped manor. It stood in its own compound, which was nearly as extensive as the green square of Leicester Fields to the south of it.

"Presently night shall fall and Venus shall s.h.i.+ne forth-we shall admire her beauty then. But while we await the G.o.ddess of Love, we may content ourselves peering at some of her earthly wors.h.i.+ppers. wors.h.i.+ppers."

"I shouldn't think you you of all people would need a of all people would need a telescope telescope for that," Roger said, "other than the one G.o.d gave you." for that," Roger said, "other than the one G.o.d gave you."

Leicester House presented to the Fields a public facade with a small forecourt below, where callers could dismount from carriages, &c. This was all that most people could see of it. Looking down on it from the excellent vantage-point of Bolingbroke's roof, half a mile away, Roger was reminded that the house had quite a bit of property in back, hemmed in by newer buildings, so that most Londoners had no inkling it was there. Of this, about two-thirds, on the side nearer to Bolingbroke's, was a formal garden. The rest was an enclosed stable-yard. Separating them was a long thin wing extending from the main house-really little more than a gallery.

"Pity. They are not out this evening," Bolingbroke remarked.

"Who or what are not out, Henry?"

"The young lovers. A chap, strapping, blond, well-heeled, and a young woman, long chestnut hair, and an uncommonly erect-some would say n.o.ble, or royal-bearing. They tryst in yonder garden most every evening."

"Touching."

"Tell me, Roger. You, who know so much of these Germans who design to take over our country-have you met Princess Caroline?"

"I have had that honor once, on a visit to Hanover."

"They say she has the most lovely fall of chestnut hair-is it true?"

"It is a fair description."

"Ah! There she is now!"

"There who who is, my lord?" is, my lord?"

"The young lady I spoke of just now."

"Which young lady, my lord?" young lady, my lord?"

"Come, have a look, and tell me."

Roger stepped forward with some reluctance.

"Oh, come and look!" Bolingbroke urged him. "It's harmless. Half the Tories in London have peered through this eyepiece, and seen her."

"That hardly const.i.tutes a recommendation, but I shall humor you," Roger said, and bent to the task.

Through the tiny lens of the eyepiece shone a bubble of green light, which swelled in his sight as he moved towards it; then it was his whole world. A moment's work with the k.n.o.b brought it to focus.

The gallery dividing the garden (foreground) from the stable-yard (background) was pierced in the center by a high vaulted pa.s.s-through: a gate, which was presently open. So Roger's view to the stable-yard was blocked by the gallery, except for in that one place, where it was possible to peer through the open arch-way and see a narrow swath of yellow gravel in the yard beyond. That was enough to make it obvious that the stables were busy this evening: hooves, booted feet, and carriage wheels were pa.s.sing back and forth, all foreshortened, by the telescope's optics, into a flat impression, a living back-drop. Against which a solitary woman was visible, crouching in the center of that arch-way, in a sort of traveling-dress. She was changing out of her shoes, and into a pair of boots. The shoes discarded on the pavement beside her were mere slippers, only fit for wearing indoors. An open portmanteau rested nearby, overflowing with clothes. Suddenly a servant burst into the frame carrying a dress over her arm, and shoved it into the bag, then began hammering the contents down with the heel of her hand.

"I should call it a hasty departure," Bolingbroke said in his ear. "More Mercury than Venus."

Roger ignored him and sharpened the focus, trying to get a clear look at the young woman changing into her traveling-boots. She undoubtedly had a long fall of chestnut hair, which swept down over one shoulder and grazed the ground.

No, it was on on the ground. In a heap. Roger blinked. the ground. In a heap. Roger blinked.

"What did you see!?" his host demanded. "Did you recognize her?"

"Stay, I'm not certain."

The hair had most definitely fallen to the ground. The woman calmly finished tying her boot-laces and then picked it up. She had light blonde hair, going a bit silvery, all pinned up close to her skull. She held the chestnut wig out at arm's length and gave it a shake, to make the tresses fall straight. Then she lifted it up and set it back in place atop her blonde head. The servant, who had somehow managed to get the bag closed, came round behind her to tug it into place and secure it with a long hair-pin.

"I'll be d.a.m.ned," Roger said. "The hair gives it away. If that young lady isn't Princess Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, then I am not a Whig."

"Let me see! What is she doing now?" said Bolingbroke, and so Roger got out of his way. After a moment to adjust the focus and get his bearings, Bolingbroke said, "I can only see her from the back-her beau is nowhere to be seen-she is climbing into a carriage, I do believe."

"Then I believe it too, my lord."

The Black Dogg, Newgate Prison THE SAME TIME.

IT HAPPENED SOMETIMES in the practice of physics that the student, having wrestled for hours with a recalcitrant equation, would suddenly find a way to wreak some drastic simplification upon it. Of a sudden, two terms, which he had copied out time and again, and which had become as familiar to him as his own signature, would, through some insight, or the providence of some new sc.r.a.p of information, turn out to be equal to each other, and vanish from the equation altogether, leaving a wholly new mathematical sentence to be pondered. The student's first reaction was exhiliration: pride at his own cleverness, mingled with a sense that at last he was getting somewhere. But soon sobriety took over, as he pondered the remade equation and became aware that he was really just starting on a new problem. Thus Daniel in the Black Dogg, trying to re-think all. For example: Jack Shaftoe was wearing a sword. When he had been Sean Partry, Daniel had scarce noted this, for many men went armed. But for Jack to be armed, here and now, was no mere affectation. He had set it all up so that he could kill Daniel and Isaac, if it came to that. And the king's ransom in fine bright candles: from Sean Partry this had been simply bizarre, but from Jack it was a way to get a good look at his interlocutors' faces whilst keeping his own phizz cloaked in the dazzle. And these were just the simple and superficial matters. Daniel would be puzzling over the deep bits for weeks. in the practice of physics that the student, having wrestled for hours with a recalcitrant equation, would suddenly find a way to wreak some drastic simplification upon it. Of a sudden, two terms, which he had copied out time and again, and which had become as familiar to him as his own signature, would, through some insight, or the providence of some new sc.r.a.p of information, turn out to be equal to each other, and vanish from the equation altogether, leaving a wholly new mathematical sentence to be pondered. The student's first reaction was exhiliration: pride at his own cleverness, mingled with a sense that at last he was getting somewhere. But soon sobriety took over, as he pondered the remade equation and became aware that he was really just starting on a new problem. Thus Daniel in the Black Dogg, trying to re-think all. For example: Jack Shaftoe was wearing a sword. When he had been Sean Partry, Daniel had scarce noted this, for many men went armed. But for Jack to be armed, here and now, was no mere affectation. He had set it all up so that he could kill Daniel and Isaac, if it came to that. And the king's ransom in fine bright candles: from Sean Partry this had been simply bizarre, but from Jack it was a way to get a good look at his interlocutors' faces whilst keeping his own phizz cloaked in the dazzle. And these were just the simple and superficial matters. Daniel would be puzzling over the deep bits for weeks.

"Newton is gobsmacked; Waterhouse nods as if he suspected this all along. Perhaps Waterhouse is cleverer than they give him credit for," said Jack.

"I knew something something was going on; else I could not make sense of recent happenings," said Daniel. "But I did not expect was going on; else I could not make sense of recent happenings," said Daniel. "But I did not expect this this."

"Can you make sense of it now?"

"No," Daniel said, and glanced over at Isaac, who for once was lagging pitiably behind; his bulging eyes strayed to the hilt of Shaftoe's sword, lingered for a moment, then began to sweep the walls for exits.

"The entire month's work: Bedlam, the Main-Topp, and the Stake-out: why? What was the point?" Daniel asked.

"Ask de Gex," Jack said. "I had less than you might suppose to do with that tedious poppet-show. Through the most of it I was an amused spectator only. And an enraged, when I spied him swimming away, and knew he had survived."

"So it is true that you and he are at odds."

"Have ever ever been," Jack corrected him, "though he did not wot it, I think, until your nice bit of jugglery went off in his coach, and set him on fire. Now he seems at last to've got it through his head that I am not his friend." been," Jack corrected him, "though he did not wot it, I think, until your nice bit of jugglery went off in his coach, and set him on fire. Now he seems at last to've got it through his head that I am not his friend."

"Because you engineered a double-cross," Daniel said.

"The whole time it has been my misfortune to know the man, he has turned minutes into hours, and hours into days, with his jabbering about Alchemy. The last few months-since he learned that you you had been summoned home from Boston-it has been worse than ever. As he has made me suffer so much with it, I reckoned it mere justice to use it to kill him." had been summoned home from Boston-it has been worse than ever. As he has made me suffer so much with it, I reckoned it mere justice to use it to kill him."

The mention of Alchemy had brought Isaac composure, and somehow made him willing to take part in the conversation. (This struck Daniel as an extremely familiar pattern; for when had Isaac ever been sociable, save when the company was Alchemists, and the topic Alchemy? Not for nothing did they call it the Esoteric Brotherhood. It was the only way he had ever made new acquaintances, with the sole exception of Daniel; it was his entire system for getting along with people, and that was its true magic.) "If ever was a moment, and a place, to ask a grossly indelicate question, 'twere now, and here," Isaac began.

"Let her rip, Ike," said Jack.

"If de Gex has been your hated foe for so long, why did you not kill him long ago? For unless I am mistaken this would not be difficult for one such as you to arrange."

"You who have slaughtered so many at Tyburn may suppose it is an easy thing to do, and may phant'sy that I have kllled as many as Tamerlane," Jack returned, "but killing a wretch through the machinery of the Law is easy, compared with how it must be accomplished in my world, when the victim-to-be is Father Confessor to the Queen of France." who have slaughtered so many at Tyburn may suppose it is an easy thing to do, and may phant'sy that I have kllled as many as Tamerlane," Jack returned, "but killing a wretch through the machinery of the Law is easy, compared with how it must be accomplished in my world, when the victim-to-be is Father Confessor to the Queen of France."

"So in de Gex's obsession with Alchemy you perceived a way to get rid of him indirectly, indirectly," Daniel said.

Jack sighed. "It almost worked," he said. "And may work yet, through some convolution or other. But now is a perilous time, which is why we need to set matters straight, and get it done smartly."

"I cannot fathom your arrogance in supposing that, after all you have done, matters may simply be set straight set straight!" Isaac exclaimed.

"Maybe you had better square that, guv, with the Marquis of Ravenscar," Jack returned. "If he's willing to give freedom and a farm in Carolina to a varlet who'll merely give information leading to my capture, why, what would he offer me, me, if he were in this room? What would if he were in this room? What would you you give me to have the former contents of the Pyx delivered to your house in St. Martin's this evening?" give me to have the former contents of the Pyx delivered to your house in St. Martin's this evening?"

Daniel's fear of being locked in a dungeon of Newgate with London's most infamous criminal had suddenly been shoved out of his mind by fear of what Roger would have to say when he learned just how utterly Daniel had bungled the negotiation.

In his distraction he was overtaken by Isaac, who, after a slow start, had now got up to full speed. "Supposing that there is anything to that offer," Isaac said, "how can you reconcile it with your duties as a paid agent of the King of France?"

"Ah, good, very important," Jack said. "Leroy is a far-sighted chap. Deserves all that's been said of him. Developed a scheme, in the respite between the wars, to win the next one by destroying the money of England. Excellent idea. Needed someone to do it for him. Haply I came along. I knew London. Knew of metals and coining. Had managerial experience, viz. Bonanza, Cairo, and other exploits. Was lacking in gentlemanly polish, though, and was of extremely dubious loyalty. How then to make good these deficits, that my salutary qualities might be put to work? De Gex. He knew me already. Is as n.o.ble as they come. Working in concert with me in London, he could get invited to salons salons-never my strong suit. He'd seen me make a fool of myself, more than once, over one Eliza-yes, Dr. Waterhouse, I spoke her name aloud-and knew she was the ticket to securing my loyalty. For by certain twists wrought on her by that perverted b.i.t.c.h Fortune, Eliza had married the young Duke of Arcachon, bore his children, and habitually spent half her time in France among the n.o.bility of that land, who are prolific murderers of their own siblings, parents, et cetera et cetera. To poison her, or worse, should be as easy, for de Gex, as yanking out a troublesome nose-hair. Thus was the deal struck: Jack would to London to carry out the destruction of the vaunted Pound Sterling under the supervision of his tiresome overseer, de Gex, and in exchange, Eliza would be left alone.

"What a difference twelve years makes! The war is over, my friends, and France won. Oh, England wrung some sc.r.a.ps from them, but make no mistake, that is a Bourbon on Spain's throne. Leroy would still see Jamie the Rover on the throne of Great Britain, but that is not as important to him, now, as was securing the Spanish Empire in 1701! This undertaking I have toiled at, of undermining the currency, has taken on a new cast. Before, the objective was to bring about a crash in this country's foreign trade-its only means of paying for war. Now, it is a petty matter: to create a scandal, and get the rich men of the City up in arms against the Whigs. Don't look so indignant, Ike, you know perfectly well this is what I've been up to. I am in a position to accomplish this now, or as soon as Bolingbroke can arrange a Trial of the Pyx. Shall I? Shall I betray my country to France? Perhaps! For there is much to hate about this place. Do I feel strongly moved? No longer. For Eliza's a widow. Her French children are grown up, dividing their time 'tween Paris and Arcachon. Her German boy is with her all the time. It has been two years since she graced the soil of La France La France. In sum it is a much more difficult matter, now, for de Gex to bring about her death-and it shall become more difficult yet, if I I bring about bring about his his."

"Is this going to conclude with you asking for something?" Daniel asked.

"All I seek is a dignified retirement from the brawls of the World," Jack said, "though, since you mentioned the farm in Carolina, I think I should like to give that to my sons. They'll only get into sc.r.a.pes if they stay in London."

"Oh yes," Daniel said, "it is quite unthinkable that anyone should get into trouble in America."

"Different trouble is all I seek for my lads," Jack said. " trouble is all I seek for my lads," Jack said. "Wholesome trouble out in the fresh air." trouble out in the fresh air."