The Baroque Cycle - The Confusion Part 35

"The theory of how how it differs has been developed in more detail than you might care to listen to, particularly if you hold Alchemy to be nonsensical," said Fatio. "It has to do with how the particles-the atoms-of gold are composed, one to the next, to form networks, and networks of networks, it differs has been developed in more detail than you might care to listen to, particularly if you hold Alchemy to be nonsensical," said Fatio. "It has to do with how the particles-the atoms-of gold are composed, one to the next, to form networks, and networks of networks, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, and what occupies, or may pa.s.s into, the holes in the said nets. Suffice it to say that the Solomonic Gold, though it looks the same, is slightly heavier than mundane gold. And so even those who know nothing of the Art may recognize a sample of this Gold as extraordinary merely by weighing it, and computing its density. A large trove of such gold was found in Mexico some years ago and brought back to Spain by the ex-Viceroy, who intended to sell it to Lothar von Hacklheber, but-" and what occupies, or may pa.s.s into, the holes in the said nets. Suffice it to say that the Solomonic Gold, though it looks the same, is slightly heavier than mundane gold. And so even those who know nothing of the Art may recognize a sample of this Gold as extraordinary merely by weighing it, and computing its density. A large trove of such gold was found in Mexico some years ago and brought back to Spain by the ex-Viceroy, who intended to sell it to Lothar von Hacklheber, but-"

"I know the rest. But what do you phant'sy was King Solomon's Gold doing in New Spain?"

"There is a tradition that Solomon did not perish, but rather went into the East," said Newton. "You may credit it, or not; but what is beyond dispute is that the Viceroy was in possession of gold that was heavier than the ordinary."

"And you are so certain of this because-?"

"Lothar von Hacklheber sent three a.s.sayers across the ocean to New Spain to verify it beyond any shadow of doubt."

"Hmm. No wonder he was so vexed when Jack s.n.a.t.c.hed it from under his nose!"

"May I inquire, my lady, whether you have heard from this Jack Shaftoe recently?"

"He sent me a present in a box, a year and a half ago, but it had quite spoiled in transit, and was buried. Mr. Newton, you may be a.s.sured that I, and certain acquaintances of mine in France, are bending all efforts to establish Jack's whereabouts, but this is well-nigh impossible, as he seems to be flitting all about Araby trading. When I learn anything definite, I shall-"

But here Eliza broke off, for she'd been interrupted. Not by any utterance, for both Fatio and Newton were silent, but rather by the expressions that had come over the faces of Newton and Fatio, and the wild looks that were pa.s.sing between them. Newton in particular seemed too preoccupied to speak.

Fatio, coming alive to the fact that the room had been silent for rather a long while, explained: "It would be a grievous misfortune if these pirates, ignorant of what they had, coined coined the Solomonic Gold and the Solomonic Gold and spent spent it. For then it would be dispersed all over the world, and melted down-con-fused-and commingled with ordinary gold, and dispersed to the four winds." Fatio turned his eager gaze back on Newton. His face collapsed, and he launched himself out of his chair, alighting on a knee next to the savant. Newton had raised one trembling hand and clapped it over his eyes. He was s.h.i.+fting about in his chair without letup, almost writhing. Sweat had beaded up on his brow, and a vein in his temple was throbbing at a tempo twice or thrice Eliza's pulse. In all, it seemed Newton was devoting every ounce of will to restraining his body's wild urge to break out into a frenzy. For the moment, his will prevailed, but only just, and he could attend to nothing else. it. For then it would be dispersed all over the world, and melted down-con-fused-and commingled with ordinary gold, and dispersed to the four winds." Fatio turned his eager gaze back on Newton. His face collapsed, and he launched himself out of his chair, alighting on a knee next to the savant. Newton had raised one trembling hand and clapped it over his eyes. He was s.h.i.+fting about in his chair without letup, almost writhing. Sweat had beaded up on his brow, and a vein in his temple was throbbing at a tempo twice or thrice Eliza's pulse. In all, it seemed Newton was devoting every ounce of will to restraining his body's wild urge to break out into a frenzy. For the moment, his will prevailed, but only just, and he could attend to nothing else.

Eliza might have supposed that Newton was suffering a stroke; but the way Fatio perched next to him, stroking his hand, suggested that this was not the first time it had happened.

Eliza stood. "Shall I summon a physician?"

"I am his physician," was Fatio's answer. Odd that, from a mathematician. But perhaps he'd been reading medicine-books. am his physician," was Fatio's answer. Odd that, from a mathematician. But perhaps he'd been reading medicine-books.

To oblige the patient and his physician to rise and bid her a courtly farewell did not seem the wisest course. Eliza curtseyed and walked out of the room.

HALF AN HOUR LATER, she was in the House of the Golden Mercury. The office was full of English lawyers-not stacked lock-boxes containing three tons of silver, as she had every right to expect. Indeed, the lawyers out-numbered their clients: four (presumably German) bankers. Of these she had met three before, when she had stopped by with the Marquis of Ravenscar to present the Bills. The fourth was unfamiliar, and older. Eliza supposed that he had come in from Amsterdam. she was in the House of the Golden Mercury. The office was full of English lawyers-not stacked lock-boxes containing three tons of silver, as she had every right to expect. Indeed, the lawyers out-numbered their clients: four (presumably German) bankers. Of these she had met three before, when she had stopped by with the Marquis of Ravenscar to present the Bills. The fourth was unfamiliar, and older. Eliza supposed that he had come in from Amsterdam.

"Is this a trading-house, or an art gallery?" Eliza inquired, if only to break the silence that had been her only greeting. "For I expected to see silver pennies stacked to the ceiling. Instead of which I am confronted by a Still Life such as has not been seen since the heyday of the Dutch Masters."

No one was particularly amused. But it did did look like a group portrait. This office was scarcely large enough to serve as a m.u.f.fin-shop. It contained two heavy desks, or look like a group portrait. This office was scarcely large enough to serve as a m.u.f.fin-shop. It contained two heavy desks, or bancas bancas, and diverse shelves where ledgers and rolled doc.u.ments were stored. A strong-box on the floor served as a small reserve of cash; but this was not the sort of place that customarily dealt in large volumes of specie. Such would normally be handled through one of the larger goldsmith's shops, or Apthorp's Bank. A narrow door in the back gave way to a staircase that executed an immediate fierce turn and then shot diagonally upwards through the middle of the office, reducing its volume by one quarter; it was on these stairs that two weeks ago the strong-boxes containing the first installment of the silver had been stacked. But no strong-boxes were there now. Rather, the first stair was claimed by the old banker, who was using it as a sort of dais from which to glower at the entire contents of the London branch of the House of Hacklheber. The old banker was stout, and his bulk entirely filled the width of the stairway, so that as he stood there, just on the far side of the narrow doorway, it looked as if he had been chivvied and tamped into a coffin standing vertically on end with its lid swung open. His jowls bulged like flour-sacks, forming profound vertical crevices to either end of his upper lip, which was as high, white, and sheer as the Cliffs of Dover.

Even if Eliza had not already met the London factor and his two a.s.sistants, she would have been able to pick them out amid the crowd by their postures. For they all stood with backs exposed to the old banker, hunched forward, frozen in mid-shrug, as if with his blue eyes he were boring slow holes into their spines.

The lawyers were five strong. To judge from their ages, the quality of their periwigs, and their posture, she guessed two full-fledged barristers and three clerks. The barristers were shoulder-to-shoulder with their clients, the clerks packed like oak.u.m into s.p.a.ces beneath the stair and among bancas bancas that were not, for the most part, shaped at all like human beings. It was well that Eliza's morning sickness had abated, for the smell of coffee, snuff, decaying teeth, unwashed men, and colognes used to overpower same would else have sent her right back out into 'Change Alley, where she'd have gone into a fit as bad as Isaac Newton's. As it was, she had no lack of incentive to make the conversation brief and momentous. that were not, for the most part, shaped at all like human beings. It was well that Eliza's morning sickness had abated, for the smell of coffee, snuff, decaying teeth, unwashed men, and colognes used to overpower same would else have sent her right back out into 'Change Alley, where she'd have gone into a fit as bad as Isaac Newton's. As it was, she had no lack of incentive to make the conversation brief and momentous.

"With so many gentlemen here, there is no room for silver," she remarked. "May I a.s.sume that it has all been delivered to the Mint to be coined?"

"My lady," began the London factor. He was literally reading from a prepared script. "The two weeks since you presented the Bills of Exchange at these premises have been eventful ones. Allow me to give you a brief account. You arrived on a day when news of a French invasion was looked for at any moment. The price of silver was high; its availability, nonexistent. You presented five Bills. One was payable immediately, and we paid it. The other four were payable on the tenth of June, by English calendar; that is, today. As no silver was to be had in London we despatched a message, post-haste, to our factory in Amsterdam. Less than twelve hours after its arrival in that city, a s.h.i.+p was underway on the Ijsselmeer laden with silver sufficient to pay the four outstanding Bills. Under normal circ.u.mstances she would have reached London and called at Tower Dock in more than enough time for the said bullion to have been minted into English coins before the date of expiry of the said Bills. During her pa.s.sage across the Narrow Seas, however, she was waylaid, and overhauled by s.h.i.+ps of Force flying the flag of the French Navy. The silver and the s.h.i.+p were taken to Dunkerque, where they remain where they remain. Because this piracy was carried out by s.h.i.+ps flying the fleur-de-lis, it is nominated, by our Dutch insurers, as an Act of War, expressly not covered by our policy; in consequence, the cargo is a total loss."

"Have you tried to buy silver on the local market?" Eliza asked. "There must be a glut of it now that everyone knows that the French invasion has failed. Why, I have heard that the Marquis of Ravenscar sold his holdings two weeks ago."

"News of the piracy did not reach my clients until yesterday," returned a barrister-a feline man not much bigger than Eliza. "Needless to say, my client has bent all efforts, in the short time since, to acquire local silver; but my client's ability to make such purchases is founded upon the credit of his House, not, mind you, as it really is, or ought to be, but as that is perceived perceived by other bankers of the City-" and here he could not prevent his eyes from straying toward the window; for a few of those bankers, or their messengers, had begun to gather without. by other bankers of the City-" and here he could not prevent his eyes from straying toward the window; for a few of those bankers, or their messengers, had begun to gather without.

"And that has suffered a blow, hasn't it," Eliza returned, in a voice suffused with childlike wonder, as if this had only just occurred to her, "because of the pirates and the insurers and whatnot."

"As to your speculations, my client has no comment," announced the barrister, "however I must correct you on a matter of lexicography. You said pirates pirates. A pirate owes allegiance to no sovereign. The correct word, in his instance, would be privateer privateer. Do you ken the distinction, my lady?"

"Why, yes-a privateer flies the flag of some country or other, and is in effect a part of its Navy."

"Your clarity, where this distinction is concerned, may perhaps reflect your status as the wife of the Grand Admiral of France-the superior of Captain Jean Bart, who confiscated my client's silver."

"That man is incorrigible! Why, only three years ago the rascal confiscated every last penny that I owned! I am relieved to be informed that the House of Hacklheber escaped with comparatively small losses."

"That remains to be seen," said the barrister. "A lady's wealth consists of the contents of her jewellery-box, but that of a banking-house consists largely in its credit. Direct losses such as the s.h.i.+pment of silver may be written off, and perhaps recovered. By contrast, when a Person of Quality erects an elaborate complot to destroy the good name of a banking-house-" remains to be seen," said the barrister. "A lady's wealth consists of the contents of her jewellery-box, but that of a banking-house consists largely in its credit. Direct losses such as the s.h.i.+pment of silver may be written off, and perhaps recovered. By contrast, when a Person of Quality erects an elaborate complot to destroy the good name of a banking-house-"

"It would be terrible, I could not agree more!" exclaimed Eliza; which shut them all up for a bit, as it was not quite the sort of response they had readied themselves for. "Though, by your leave, you are wrong about a lady's wealth being confined to her jewellery-box. Of far greater value is her honour, which is to a n.o.blewoman what credit is to a banking-house. What I lost to Jean Bart three years ago meant nothing to me. Much more to be feared would be the damage that my good name should incur if persons, whether malicious or simply ill-informed, were to go about spreading a rumor that I had connived to swindle an honest German bank! Does your client not agree, sir?"

"Er...my client is not as fluent in the English language as you orI. Before I can speak on his behalf as to whether he agrees or disagrees with your a.s.sertion, I shall have to meet with him privily and see to it that our words are translated into German. Pray carry on, my lady; but first, know that nothing in my or my clients' previous statements can or should be construed to imply that I or my client is directly or indirectly accusing you of partic.i.p.ating in a swindle."

"That is ever so rea.s.suring. In any case, it is precisely to forestall any such damage to my name that I have rushed here this morning."

"It is?"

"Why, yes! For I had received word that the House of Hacklheber had suffered a reversal of its fortunes. Lothar von Hacklheber is reputed to be a vindictive and unprincipled man. My first thought was that he might try to soften the blow to his his reputation, by deflecting it onto reputation, by deflecting it onto me; me; which would be most unfair, given that he entered into this transaction of his own free will, and on his own terms, well knowing the risks. Be that as it may, the fact of the matter is that I am here in London, alone, defenseless, with no a.s.sets other than my t.i.tle as d.u.c.h.ess of Qwghlm, which was bestowed on me by King William." which would be most unfair, given that he entered into this transaction of his own free will, and on his own terms, well knowing the risks. Be that as it may, the fact of the matter is that I am here in London, alone, defenseless, with no a.s.sets other than my t.i.tle as d.u.c.h.ess of Qwghlm, which was bestowed on me by King William."

"We are aware of your t.i.tles, my lady-English as well as French-as well as how you came by them."

"And so I am here to offer a solution."

"And what is your proposal, my lady?"

"The purpose for which the silver was intended no longer exists. But the Bills have been presented, and accepted, and must be paid in London before day's end, if the reputation of the House of Hacklheber is to survive. I propose that we convert the transaction into another form of payment. France no longer has need of the silver, but she does have a perpetual need of timber-more so than ever, now that so much of her fleet has been burned in the harbors of Cherbourg and La Hougue. She purchases Baltic timber through the Compagnie du Nord, Compagnie du Nord, which deals with a net-work of Huguenot merchants in the north. Those same houses maintain bureaus within a stone's throw of where we stand; indeed, as I was on my way here just now, I chanced to meet Monsieur Durand, who is the local factor of such a concern. I fetched him along with me." Eliza waved her hand in the window. Instantly the door opened, and the last remaining volume in the House of the Golden Mercury was claimed by a big-nosed, wigless, white-haired gentleman. "I present Monsieur Durand of Durand et fils of London, Stockholm, Rostock, and Riga," Eliza announced. "I have told him all about what has happened-though like most of 'Change Alley he had already heard much of the story. Monsieur Durand has let me know, in the most eloquent French, that, as a result of his many connexions and his long expertise in the north, he has developed a respect for the House of Hacklheber that cannot be shaken by one unfortunate incident of piracy. As such, he is willing to arrange s.h.i.+pment of timber to the which deals with a net-work of Huguenot merchants in the north. Those same houses maintain bureaus within a stone's throw of where we stand; indeed, as I was on my way here just now, I chanced to meet Monsieur Durand, who is the local factor of such a concern. I fetched him along with me." Eliza waved her hand in the window. Instantly the door opened, and the last remaining volume in the House of the Golden Mercury was claimed by a big-nosed, wigless, white-haired gentleman. "I present Monsieur Durand of Durand et fils of London, Stockholm, Rostock, and Riga," Eliza announced. "I have told him all about what has happened-though like most of 'Change Alley he had already heard much of the story. Monsieur Durand has let me know, in the most eloquent French, that, as a result of his many connexions and his long expertise in the north, he has developed a respect for the House of Hacklheber that cannot be shaken by one unfortunate incident of piracy. As such, he is willing to arrange s.h.i.+pment of timber to the Compagnie du Nord Compagnie du Nord provided that the four outstanding Bills of Exchange are transferred to him today. He will, in other words, accept the provided that the four outstanding Bills of Exchange are transferred to him today. He will, in other words, accept the credit credit of your House in lieu of actual delivery of silver bullion. The House of Hacklheber's obligations shall be discharged in full by day's end, and no damage to anyone's repute shall ensue; Lothar von Hacklheber shall be of your House in lieu of actual delivery of silver bullion. The House of Hacklheber's obligations shall be discharged in full by day's end, and no damage to anyone's repute shall ensue; Lothar von Hacklheber shall be Ditta di Borsa Ditta di Borsa tomorrow just as yesterday, and this momentary lapse in his reputation, which has led to the abrupt hiring of so many members of the legal profession, shall be remembered-if it is remembered at all-as one of those brief irrational panics to which markets are everywhere p.r.o.ne." tomorrow just as yesterday, and this momentary lapse in his reputation, which has led to the abrupt hiring of so many members of the legal profession, shall be remembered-if it is remembered at all-as one of those brief irrational panics to which markets are everywhere p.r.o.ne."

All of this now had to be explained to the big German at the back of the room. Eliza suspected, from this man's age, his bearing, and the way the others deferred to him, that he must report to Lothar von Hacklheber personally. Clearly he spoke little English; which might have been more help than hindrance to him until now, as he had been gauging the mood of the room, and observing the struggle of wills and the balance of power among the partic.i.p.ants. He had seen Eliza walk into a room in which the prevailing mood had been like that in a ravelin under siege. Yet she had astonished the beleaguered defenders by not pressing her advantage when she might have, and instead proffering a way out. Astonishment had developed into relief as Monsieur Durand made his entrance. All of these things the old banker perceived, without knowing any of the particulars; and the more hopeful his underlings allowed themselves to become, the more suspicious he waxed. Now they had to sell him the proposal, in German; but he was not of a mind to buy.

"Are we to understand," said the London factor, translating for him, "that La France La France is to receive-in addition to the hundred thousand is to receive-in addition to the hundred thousand livres livres in silver we have already delivered to you-four hundred thousand in silver we have already delivered to you-four hundred thousand livres livres worth of silver as booty in Dunkerque worth of silver as booty in Dunkerque as well as as well as four hundred thousand four hundred thousand livres livres worth of Baltic timber, in exchange for nothing more than five hundred thousand worth of Baltic timber, in exchange for nothing more than five hundred thousand livres livres in French government obligations in Lyon?" in French government obligations in Lyon?"

"I recommend you moderate your tone," said Eliza. "Voices carry out into the street; and lurking there in 'Change Alley are any number of City men who have heard all the rumors about the insolvency of the Hacklhebers. When I step out that door, I shall be interrogated like a prisoner on the Inquisition's rack. They will know whether the Hacklhebers have been able to honour their obligations, or not. Through the generous intercession of Monsieur Durand, it will be possible for me to answer in the affirmative." Eliza half-turned toward the door and rested a gloved hand on the latch. The room grew perceptibly darker as a Mobb of 'Change-men on the street outside noted her gesture, and drew closer to the windows, blocking out the light. Eliza continued: "This talk of yours about four hundred thousand livres livres here or there is quite lost on me; I am a mere housewife with no head for numbers." She flexed her wrist and the door-latch made a clicking noise, a bit like the c.o.c.king of a flintlock. A volcanic up-welling of German sounded from the rear of the shop; Eliza could not quite follow what was being said, but suddenly the barrister spun to face her and announced: "My client is pleased to accept the proposal, pending resolution of the terms in detail." here or there is quite lost on me; I am a mere housewife with no head for numbers." She flexed her wrist and the door-latch made a clicking noise, a bit like the c.o.c.king of a flintlock. A volcanic up-welling of German sounded from the rear of the shop; Eliza could not quite follow what was being said, but suddenly the barrister spun to face her and announced: "My client is pleased to accept the proposal, pending resolution of the terms in detail."

"Then pray resolve them with Monsieur Durand," said Eliza, "I am going out for a bit of air."

"And-?"

"And to let the City of London know that the House of Hacklheber is Ditta di Borsa, Ditta di Borsa, as ever," Eliza added. as ever," Eliza added.

"WHAT WAS THAT BIT you hollered into the back, just as you were coming out the door?" asked Bob Shaftoe. "I could not make out your French." you hollered into the back, just as you were coming out the door?" asked Bob Shaftoe. "I could not make out your French."

"'Twas nothing," said Eliza, "only polite leave-taking. I complimented the old fellow on how adroitly he and his colleagues had managed the transaction, and expressed my hope that in future we might work together again thusly."

"And what said he to that?"

"Naught, but only stared into my eyes-overcome with fond emotions, I should say."

"You said before, in St.-Malo, when we-" Bob began, and got lost in his thoughts as his gaze slipped down toward her belly.

"When we were together."

"Yes, you said you wanted your boot on Lothar's neck. And it seems to me you had that, just as you phant'sied. But you let him go?"

"Never," said Eliza, "never. For do not forget that every transaction has two ends, and this is only one of them."

"Very well. I shall not forget it. But I do not understand understand it." it."

"Neither does Lothar."

"Will you return to France?"

"To Dunkerque," Eliza said, "to pay my compliments to Captain Bart, and to inform the Marquis d'Ozoir that he has got his timber. What of you, Sergeant Bob?"

"I shall remain here for the present time. I've been to visit Mr. Churchill a time or two in the Tower, you know. He shan't be there very much longer, mark my words."

"The judicial proceedings against him have become a farce, such as appeals to the English sense of humor, but all grow weary of it."

"And meanwhile King Louis himself is laying siege to Namur, isn't he? And folks are asking, why does King William keep our best commander locked up on a ridiculous pretext, when a great campaign is under way on the other side of the Narrow Seas? No, my lady, if I were to go back to Normandy, I'd have some explaining to do, and might even be hanged for desertion. That Irish regiment'll be sent G.o.d only knows where-for all I know, they'll wind up in the South, on the Savoy front, a million miles from where I have been trying to go. But soon enough Churchill shall be at the head of an army, and I shall go with that army to Flanders. We shall face the French across some narrow strip of ground. I'll scan the colors on the opposing side, until I spy those of Count Sheerness-"

"And then?"

"Why, then, I shall devise some means of ending up with my my boot on boot on his his throat. And we shall enter into a discussion concerning Abigail." throat. And we shall enter into a discussion concerning Abigail."

"You attempted that with his brother-Abigail's previous previous owner. He almost killed you, and you did not get Abigail." owner. He almost killed you, and you did not get Abigail."

"I do not claim 'tis a likely plan, but 'tis my my plan, and it gives me something to do." plan, and it gives me something to do."

"Can I not simply buy buy the girl from Sheerness?" the girl from Sheerness?"

"It would raise questions. Why should you care about one English slave?"

"That is my business."

"And Abigail is mine-"

"Would Abigail agree? Or would she prefer that plan that is most likely to lead to her freedom?"

This made Bob a bit stormy-looking. He strove with his temper for a bit. Then he chuckled. "What's the point of flapping my jaw when you'll go and do just what you please, no matter what I say? Be off to Dunkerque, then. But if my wishes have any gravity, you'll tend to yourself and not to me. For I ween you are in a delicate way just now. That is all."

"I am ever ever in a delicate way," said Eliza, "but men pick and choose the time to take notice of it, as it suits their purposes." At this Bob chuckled again, which provoked her. "Let us speak plainly," she said, "for this is where our ways part-you must to the Tower to attend your master in his prison-cell, I must to dockside to arrange pa.s.sage to Dunkerque." They had arrived at the cross where Grace Church Street changed its name to Fish Street, and plunged down to the Bridge. From their right entered Great Eastcheap; under the name of Little Eastcheap it then wended its way off in the direction of the Tower. A stone's throw down the hill, a lone, stupendous column jutted up from the city, casting a finger of shadow down the length of the street. They'd come nigh to the place where the Fire of London had been kindled a quarter-century before. The column was the Monument that Wren and Hooke had put up to it. in a delicate way," said Eliza, "but men pick and choose the time to take notice of it, as it suits their purposes." At this Bob chuckled again, which provoked her. "Let us speak plainly," she said, "for this is where our ways part-you must to the Tower to attend your master in his prison-cell, I must to dockside to arrange pa.s.sage to Dunkerque." They had arrived at the cross where Grace Church Street changed its name to Fish Street, and plunged down to the Bridge. From their right entered Great Eastcheap; under the name of Little Eastcheap it then wended its way off in the direction of the Tower. A stone's throw down the hill, a lone, stupendous column jutted up from the city, casting a finger of shadow down the length of the street. They'd come nigh to the place where the Fire of London had been kindled a quarter-century before. The column was the Monument that Wren and Hooke had put up to it.

"When you promise to speak plainly, I know to brace myself," said Bob, and then he did literally, leaning back against a brick wall.

"You have seen me sick, and suppose that I am pregnant. This has wrought powerfully on your mind, for you know that Abigail was given syphilis by Upnor and may not be able to give you children, even if you do pry her free from the clutches of Count Sheerness. You have stopped thinking of me as 'Eliza the woman I roger from time to time' and begun to think of me as 'Eliza the expectant mother of my only child.' This has queered your judgment and led you to consider schemes that are not likely to produce Abigail's freedom. Know then that the foetus-which might have been yours, or my husband's, or any of several other men's-miscarried the night before last. It is with the angels. I would still produce a competent heir for my husband, but must begin a new pregnancy once I have reached France. Perhaps I shall seduce Jean Bart, perhaps the Marquis d'Ozoir, perhaps a Marine who catches my fancy on the street. In any case you must give up hope that any progeny of yours shall come from here-" and Eliza rested her hand on the front of her bodice "-for I am done with being the other woman in the life of Bob Shaftoe and Abigail Frome. Done with being the poppy-elixir that makes you forget your pain, and leads you to dream stratagems that shall never avail you or her a thing. Abigail may be waiting for you, Bob. I am not. Get thee to thy projects, then."

She was gone from Bob's sight before the words penetrated all the way to his heart, for she was a small woman, quick, and dissolved into the traffic down Fish Street Hill like a mote of sugar in a stream of boiling water. Bob did not move, but let the brick wall hold him up for some while, until the proprietor-an insurance-man-thrust his head out the window and gave him that look that Gentlemen give to Vagabonds when it is time for them to be moving on. Bob had a soldier's knack for moving when he did not wish to. He levered himself away from the wall, rounded the corner, and marched down Little Eastcheap toward the Tower, where his Captain would be waiting for him with orders.

Book 4

Bonanza

Ahmadabad, the Mogul Empire SEPTEMBER 1693.

When Men fly from danger, it is natural for them to run farther than they need.-The Mischiefs that ought justly to be apprehended from a Whig-government, ANONYMOUS (ATTRIBUTED TO.

BERNARD MANDEVILLE), 1714.

EVERY MORNING A MOB OF angry Hindoos convened outside the hospital hoping to have a conversation with Jack on his way in, and so every day Jack came a little earlier, stealing in through a back door where manure was carried out and food brought in. Because of that latter function it was the correct entrance for him to use anyway. He walked across an enclosed stable-yard, holding one hand before his face as a sort of visor, to break a trail through the horseflies. At least, he angry Hindoos convened outside the hospital hoping to have a conversation with Jack on his way in, and so every day Jack came a little earlier, stealing in through a back door where manure was carried out and food brought in. Because of that latter function it was the correct entrance for him to use anyway. He walked across an enclosed stable-yard, holding one hand before his face as a sort of visor, to break a trail through the horseflies. At least, he hoped hoped that they were horseflies. that they were horseflies.

His pa.s.sage was noticed and commented upon by insomniacal horses and camels, standing on splinted and bandaged limbs, or dangling from formidable slings, in stalls all round the yard. A tiger was here, too, being treated for an abscessed tooth, but she was kept in a cage in an out-building. Otherwise her fragrance, and the nearly inaudible sound she made when she yawned, would drive the horses and camels into frenzies. A horse supporting itself on two legs, and kicking with the remaining two, was dangerous enough; a horse in a sling, kicking with all four legs at once, was as dangerous as a cart-load of Afghans.

The insect situation did not improve when he went inside. In part, this was because the distinction between inside and outside was not closely observed in this part of the world; s.p.a.ce was divided up by walls and screens, yes. But they all had great b.l.o.o.d.y holes in them (ornately shaped holes painstakingly carved by master craftsmen, yes, but none the less holes) to let in air and light and (or so Jack supposed in his more peevish moments) to keep buildings from bursting and falling down when the inmates got to farting-for these people ate beans, or, at any rate, a plethora of mysterious bean-like foodstuffs, as if they were all starving-which, come to think of it, they were were.

At any rate, the result was that the gallery into which Jack had now entered was thick with flies, zinging through the darkness like spent grapeshot on the fringes of a battle, and crunching into his shaved head and raising welts. They had been drawn here, from all over the Indies, by the smell of diverse sick or injured creatures and their feed and their manure; for this hospital with all its stone screens and lattice-works was like a giant censer dispensing such fragrances into the air of Ahmadabad.

Past the mongoose with the suppurating eye, the jackal with mange, the half-paralyzed king cobra, the stunningly odoriferous civet-cat-with-bone-cancer, the mouse deer with the javelin wound did Jack proceed, and then entered a room filled with bird-cages of bent bamboo, where diverse broken-winged avians were on the mend. A peac.o.c.k with an arrow stuck sideways all the way through his neck shuffled around, b.u.mping into things and getting hung up on the cages and squawking in outrage. Jack gave him a wide berth, not wanting to get lockjaw off that arrowhead if the peac.o.c.k should happen to execute a sharp turn in the vicinity of his knees.

Through a rickety door was a room piled floor to ceiling with even smaller cages housing sick or injured mice and rats, some of which sounded distinctly rabid. The less time spent here the better, and so Jack forged on to another room, and down some stone steps.

The smell here transcended mere badness. It was not a smell of mammals or even reptiles, but of an entirely different order of Creation. It was thrilling thrilling. For quite some time Jack had been breathing through his nose, but now he threw one arm over his face and sucked in air through the crook of his elbow. For the air in this, the deepest and innermost part of the hospital, was (he estimated) fifty percent insects by volume, a sort of writhing meat-cloud that continually hummed, as if he had climbed into an organ pipe. And if even one of those bugs got into a nostril and injured itself trying to struggle free of Jack's nose-hairs, the caretakers would be sure to notice, and then Jack would be out of a job. For the same reason, he had altered his gait, and now shuffled along on bare feet, plowing carefully through the drifts and flurries of bugs on the floor, hoping there weren't any scorpions there just now.

"Jack Shaftoe reporting for duty!" he hollered. The chief bug-doctor, and his diverse hierarchies and sub-hierarchies of a.s.sistants, had all been sleeping under gauzy bug-nets suspended from the ceiling. These huddled in the corners of the bug-ward like claques of pointy-headed ghosts. They now began to bobble and twitch as sleepy Hindoos emerged from them. Jack stripped down to the thong that he used to protect what remained of his privities, and handed his clothes to someone (he wasn't sure whom whom, and didn't care; this was Hindoostan, there were a lot of people here, and if you held something out and looked expectant, someone would soon enough take it).

A boy brought him the usual concoction, holding the coconut sh.e.l.l to Jack's lips while others bound Jack's hands together behind his back with a strip of cloth. Out of habit, Jack put his ankles together so that those could likewise be bound. When he had finished gulping down that draught (which was supposed to nourish and replenish the blood), he allowed himself to fall forward, and was caught by many small warm hands and gently lowered onto the floor-though not before it had been gently swept clear of any insects. His bound ankles were brought up to meet his hands, and all were tied together above his bare b.u.t.tocks. Meanwhile a swathe of gauze was being tied about his head, screening his mouth, nose, and eyes.

Above, he could hear a boom of timber-what sailors would call a yard-being swung around until one end of it was above him. From a pulley on its tip, a stout rope was now brought down and tied to the web of bonds that joined his wrists and ankles, with a couple of turns around his waist to carry most of his weight.

Deeper voices spoke now-the pulley squeaked, the rope tensed, the yard began to tick and groan, and then Jack was airborne. They swung the yard around, Jack skimming along just a hand's breadth above the floor, escorted by giggling and shuffling Hindoo boys. But these suddenly peeled away as the stone floor dropped out from under him and he swung out over a pit: a stone-lined silo perhaps four yards across and somewhat less in depth. They let him hang above the middle of it for a few seconds, prodding him artfully with bamboo poles until he stopped swinging; then the rope was let out and Jack descended. Many torches had been lit for this the most critical part of the operation. The gauze over his eyes strained their light from the air and clouded his vision, which was just as well. They took utmost care not to let his full weight down onto the sandy floor of the pit until they were absolutely certain that no living creature was underneath him. But they or their ancestors had done this many times a day since the beginning of Time and were good at their work. Jack came to rest on the pit-floor without crus.h.i.+ng a thing.

Then from small holes and arches and burrows, tanks, puddles, sumps, rotten logs, decomposing fruit, hives, and sand-heaps all around, out they came: foot-long centipedes, clouds of fleas, worms of various descriptions, all manner of flying insects-in short, all sorts of creatures whatever that subsisted on blood. He felt a bat land on the back of his neck, and tried to relax.

"That iridescent beetle feasting on your left b.u.t.tock does not appear to be injured or sick in the slightest degree!" said a curiously familiar voice, speaking English with a musical accent. "I think it should be discharged forthwith, Jack."

"Wouldn't surprise me-the whole country is infested with idlers and freebooters-like that rabble out front."

"That rabble, as you call them, are the men of the Swapak mahajan mahajan," said Surendranath-for by this point Jack had recognized him as none other.