Measuring The World Part 16

And neither of them so young any more, said Gauss.

Humboldt went to the door and said good night.

He would finish his pipe, said Gauss.

Humboldt picked up the candelabrum and closed the door behind him.

Gauss folded his hands behind his head. The only light came from the glow of his pipe. Down on the street a vehicle rolled by with a tinny noise. Gauss took his pipe out of his mouth and twisted it between his fingers. He pursed his lips and c.o.c.ked his head. Steps were coming closer, then the door flew open.

It wasn't acceptable, cried Humboldt, he would not tolerate it!

So, said Gauss.

But there wasn't much time. Tonight Eugen would still be in the custody of the gendarmes. First thing tomorrow the secret police would take over, then it would be impossible to stop anything. If they wanted to get him out, it had to be now.

Gauss asked if he knew how late it was.

Humboldt stared at him.

He hadn't been up and about at this hour for years. If he thought about it properly, he hadn't ever done it at all.

Humboldt, disbelieving, set down the candelabrum.

So all right. Gauss sniffed, laid down his pipe, and got to his feet. It was unquestionably going to make him sicker.

He looked perfectly well to him, said Humboldt.

That was quite enough, cried Gauss. Things were bad as it was. He didn't have to let himself be insulted!

SPIRITS.

Commander of Gendarmerie Vogt had gone out. His wife, wrapped in a woolen housecoat, face and hair still rumpled with sleep, told them he had come home briefly after the reception at the Choral Hall, and then was called away, apparently there had been some arrests. He had come back again shortly before midnight, had changed into civilian clothes, and then gone off again. It happened like that once a week. No, she didn't know where.

Then there was nothing to be done, said Humboldt. He bowed and made to leave.

He thought, said Gauss.

The two of them looked at him questioningly He thought that there was something they could do. Humboldt had never been married so he didn't know how things went. A wife whose husband was out once a week at night knew very well where he was hiding himself, and if he didn't give it away himself, she found out anyway. And now she could do a great favor for two old gentlemen.

She really couldn't say a thing, murmured Frau Vogt.

Gauss took a step closer, laid his hand on her arm, and asked why she was making it so hard for them. Did he and his friend look like informers, like the kind of people who couldn't keep a secret? He lowered his head and smiled at her. It was really important.

But n.o.body must know it came from her.

Of course not, said Gauss.

It wasn't anything forbidden. And it had only started since the death of the grandmother. There were suspicions that there was hidden money somewhere, but n.o.body knew where. So they were trying everything they could.

See, same old thing, said Gauss as they were going down the stairs. Women could never keep their mouths shut. If the wife knew, everyone would know. Could they please stop for a moment at the police station? He wanted to check on the good-for-nothing.

Impossible, said Humboldt. He couldn't allow himself to be seen there.

The leading Republican in Europe couldn't go into a police jail?

The leading Republican in particular, said Humboldt. His position was more fragile than might be apparent at first glance. Not even fame was always a protection. Navigating the Orinoco had been easier than navigating this city. He lowered his voice. In the police jail the gendarmerie divided prisoners strictly by rank; their particulars would only be taken down by the secret police the following morning. If they could succeed in persuading Vogt to send the young man home at once, no trace of him would be left in the records.

The boy was hopeless, said Gauss. He liked that Weber person much better.

One couldn't choose these things, said Humboldt.

Apparently not, said Gauss, and said nothing more until the coach came to a halt.

They went through a dirty courtyard and up some stairs. Twice they had to pause until Gauss could catch his breath again. They reached the third floor, and Humboldt knocked on the apartment door. A pale man with an elaborately combed, pointed beard opened up. He was wearing a gold-embroidered s.h.i.+rt, velvet trousers, and worn bedroom slippers.

Lorenzi, he said. It took them several seconds to grasp that he had introduced himself.

Humboldt asked if the commander of gendarmerie were there.

He was there, said Herr Lorenzi in stumbling German, along with a number of other people. But anyone who wanted to come in must join the circle.

All right, said Gauss.

The circle must not be broken, said Lorenzi, must not be torn apart in this world or the next. In other words, it would cost money.

Gauss shook his head but Humboldt stuck some gold coins in Lorenzi's hand and the latter stepped aside with a bow.

The hall was laid with worn-out carpets. Through a half-open door they could hear a woman's voice, wailing. They went in.

The room was lit by a single candle. People were sitting around a large table. The wailing was coming from a girl of about seventeen, wearing a white nightdress. Her face was covered in sweat and her hair clung to her forehead. To her left, eyes closed, sat Commander of Gendarmerie Vogt. Next to him, a man with a bald head, three older ladies, a woman in black, and several gentlemen in dark suits. The girl rolled her head and groaned. Humboldt wanted to go out again, but Gauss stopped him. Lorenzi pushed up two chairs. Hesitantly they sat down at the table.

And now, said Lorenzi, they must all hold each other's hands.

Not on his life, said Humboldt.

It wasn't so bad, said Gauss, and seized Lorenzi's hand. If they got thrown out, it wouldn't help either.

No, said Humboldt.

Then it wouldn't work, said Lorenzi.

Gauss sighed and reached for Humboldt's left hand, just as a woman of about sixty who looked like a statue that had been left out in the rain reached for his right. Humboldt went rigid.

The girl tossed her head back and screamed. Her nightdress slipped down as she twisted violently. Gauss looked at her with raised eyebrows. Her body leapt into the air as if she wanted to jump up, but the two men to either side of her held her fast; she bared her teeth, her eyes rolled, she rocked from side to side and whimpered. She had seen King Solomon, she panted, but he didn't want to come so now she was summoning someone else.

He wasn't going to be able to stand this, said Humboldt.

It was actually quite fun, said Gauss. And the little one wasn't bad at all.

She screamed loudly, a tremor threw her body backwards; if the men hadn't been holding her, she and her chair would have tipped over. Then she became calmer again, laid her head to one side, and stared at the tabletop. Someone was here, she said. He wanted his uncle to know that everything was forgiven. A son was waiting for his mother. And further off she could see Napoleon, the devil in human form, burning in h.e.l.l. He was uttering horrible blasphemies and wouldn't repent. She turned her head to listen. Her nightdress was hanging open down beyond her breast. Her skin glistened damply. She could see someone else's brother, she said, he was saying his death was natural and wholly in order, there was no need to keep making enquiries. And someone else's mother. The mother was very disappointed. Her son's work would turn out to be insignificant, she knew now that he'd only been waiting for her to die so that he could run off like a vagabond, and in the cave that time he'd behaved as if he didn't see her. Then there was a child there, who was letting his parents know he was doing quite well in the circ.u.mstances, the hall was large, they could fly all the time, and if you were careful, no pain was inflicted on you. And an old lady was saying that she hadn't hidden any money and couldn't help. The girl groaned, everyone leaned forward, but nothing more came out. She made a strangled noise, then raised her head, gently freed her hands from the grip of the men, pulled up and straightened her nightdress, and smiled at no one in particular in a confused sort of way.

Good, said Gauss.

Vogt, startled, looked at him across the table. He had only just noticed them.

A word, please, said Humboldt. He was white, and his face looked like a mask.

Fascinating, said the woman in black.

A unique moment of communication between the worlds, said Lorenzi. Everyone looked at him reproachfully, he had spoken without an Italian accent; hastily he said it again the proper way. The girl glanced around, embarra.s.sed. Gauss was watching her alertly.

Vogt asked if they'd followed him.

After a fas.h.i.+on, said Humboldt. He had a request. A conversation a deux. He made a sign to Gauss to stay where he was and went out into the hall with Vogt. He was here because of his grandmother, Vogt whispered. n.o.body knew where the money was. His situation wasn't easy. A gentleman must pay his debts, come what may. And that's why he was trying everything.

Humboldt cleared his throat, and closed his eyes for a moment or two as if to pull himself together. A young man, he said, the son of the astronomer over there, had got himself arrested at some foolish gathering. There was still time to simply send him home again.

Vogt stroked his mustache.

One would be doing one's country a service. Prussia was very deeply committed to working with this man. It was in the highest interests of state.

In the highest interests of state, Vogt echoed.

In other countries, said Humboldt, decorations were given for this kind of thing.

Vogt leaned against the wall. What was being proposed was no mere trifle. A most suspicious secret a.s.sembly. At first it had been thought that the appalling writer of German Gymnastics German Gymnastics had spoken in person. Now, praise be to G.o.d, it appeared that the speaker had been merely one of his many imitators who went around the country using his name. But an express courier was on his way to Freiberg in any case, just to be certain. had spoken in person. Now, praise be to G.o.d, it appeared that the speaker had been merely one of his many imitators who went around the country using his name. But an express courier was on his way to Freiberg in any case, just to be certain.

Ah, the plague of mistaken ident.i.ties, said Humboldt. Two of his colleagues, Daguerre and Niepce, were working on an invention which would help in this situation. Authorities would then have official pictures of people, and n.o.body would be able to pa.s.s themselves off as someone famous any more. He knew the problem well, just recently some man in the Tyrol had lived for months on the public funds, because he had claimed to be Humboldt and to know how to find gold.

In any case, said Vogt, the situation was serious. He wasn't saying that nothing could be done. He looked at Humboldt expectantly. But it wouldn't be easy.

All he had to do was go the police jail and send the young man home, said Humboldt. The name hadn't even been registered. n.o.body would know.

But there was a risk, said Vogt.

But a small one.

Small or not, between civilized people there were ways of recognizing these things.

Humboldt a.s.sured him of his grat.i.tude.

Which could express itself in more than one way.

Humboldt promised that he would have a friend in him. And he would be ready to grant any favor.

Favor. Vogt sighed. There were favors and favors.

Humboldt asked what he meant.

Vogt groaned. They looked at each other in embarra.s.sment.

G.o.d almighty, said Gauss's voice beside them. Did he really not understand? The fellow wanted a bribe. Poor pathetic little fellow. Poor little s.h.i.+t-eater.

He must protest, shrilled Vogt. He didn't have to listen to such things!

Humboldt made frantic hand signals at Gauss. Everyone came out of the salon full of curiosity: the bald-headed man and the woman in black whispered to each other while the girl in the nightdress looked at them over her shoulder.

Yes he d.a.m.n well did, said Gauss. Even a piece of vomit like him, a b.a.s.t.a.r.d mongrel, a greedy dwarf t.u.r.d, should be able to bear up under the truth.

That was quite enough, shrieked Vogt.

Nothing like enough, said Gauss.

He would dispatch his seconds in the morning.

For G.o.d's sake, cried Humboldt, it was all a misunderstanding.

He would throw them out, said Gauss. They would be bound to be a pair of ne'er-do-wells if they were willing to be ordered around by a dung beetle like him. They could expect to learn the size of his foot, in the a.s.s and elsewhere!

In a tight voice Vogt enquired if this was meant to indicate that the gentleman was refusing him satisfaction.

Of course it did. Was he going to allow himself to be shot dead by a stink toad?

Vogt opened and closed his mouth, balled his fists, and stared at the ceiling. His chin quivered. If he had understood correctly, the son of the professor was in some difficulties. The professor should not expect to see his son again any time soon. He stumbled to the coat stand, seized his coat and the nearest hat, and ran out.

But that was his hat, called the bald-headed man, running after him.

Well, that didn't work, said Gauss eventually into the general silence. He threw another long glance at the medium, then pushed his hands into his pockets and left the apartment.

A frightful mistake, said Humboldt, as he caught up with him on the stairs. The man hadn't wanted any money!

Ha, said Gauss.

A high official of the Prussian state could not be bribed. Such a thing had never happened.

Ha!

He would lay his hand in the fire!

Gauss laughed.

They stepped into the open air and discovered that their coach had left.

Well then, on foot, said Humboldt. It wasn't that far, and as for him, he'd mastered much greater distances in his time.

Please not again, said Gauss. He couldn't listen to it any more.