Chapter 205

The companions’ sublime suspicions

Further encounters

The long deceased ancestors of the Habsburg-Lothringen house

1. The comedian says, walking: “What is that to mean again, the Lord is moving, hence let us fall in step! Who is the Lord, and how come? This person is not going to seriously suggest that this Polish sharpie is in the end going to be Christ the Lord?!” Says one next to the funny man: “Seppl, now I’m in the clear about this mob!” Asks Seppl: “What about it? Dying of curiosity!”

2. Continues the other: “Listen, they are Russian spies making out to be transcendental pianists, pulling wool over peoples’ eyes! True, the so called Paul spoke like a book, and one ought to see no deception behind his dramatic two gold conversions. But had disguise is worse than none; these Ruskies have chosen a smart disguise – Christ, Paul, probably also Peter, Jakob, James or John, and perhaps Joseph and Mary into the bargain! A rare sextet! The Christ is going to be an ace magician and speak in hieroglyphs, if He speaks at all, such magicians normally saying little and keeping quiet. So-called Paul is likely to be his accomplice, not unfamiliar with magic but well-versed in speaking. The other two seem more like conjurers and the one up front with the beautiful hussy a fellow sharpie. The one right out front is most likely a con-man washed with many waters, and his sweetheart a temptress birdie for plenty of dough and equipped with massage paraphernalia. All human of course but somewhat rare for even our great Vienna! Now Seppl, you catching on?”

3. Says the funny man: “That version has merits, yet I would not fully go for it, for this Paul is a wiseman second Jew, seems an exceedingly good man and without the least business acumen. The other four including the hussy, look decent with no crude overtaxes; hence let us trot along as if expecting to get paid. To me the thing begins to take on a different shape to the start: look at the firmament; the sky pure; no sun, yet daylight. Look at this familiar street, do you see any one walking, other than ourselves? Everything is empty, and the dwellings as if deserted. And, unbelievably, the most beautiful grass upon the road! Say, does this not strike you?”

4. Says the other: “Indeed, the most peculiar part is the firmament - the sky an actual indigo-blue, and everything lit up as at noon, yet nothing resembling a sun, and no object to cast shadow! Uniform light everywhere, and no shining body anywhere, no sun, moon or star! You are right – it is most intriguing!”

5. Says the joker: “Well, I agree – the thing is peculiar. The city, the houses, streets and squares are vintage Vienna. Even the state of siege with its stockade and canons continues in its persistent fashion, except a less severe control of visitors to the bastion by guards who let them go their way. But look at the few stragglers one sees: mostly unworldly, wild and stupid like Chinese, and sad and melancholy as if struck down by cholera. See the frog faces those few gipsies near those house entrances are cutting, smelling each other for possible silver and gold. Did you ever see anything like that in dear Vienna?”

6. Says the other: “Truly intriguing; but–hey– what’s that un-Viennese thing heading our way? Golly! Big black ostriches with long neck and even longer legs! A stupendous number of them – moving in on us!”

7. Don’t fancy waging battle! –Friend Seppl nudge Paul, he should know!” Says funny man Seppl: “Why me? These birds will have escaped from a big sanctuary! Mr Cousin isn’t going to let these African capons scare him!

8. Says his cousin Holzbaumer: “Not exactly, but wouldn’t mind knowing where these beasts are from; could they be evil spirits? Easily the case, if we really are in the spirit world!” Says the joker: “They would be spirits for sure, but not evil ones, everything living must have spirit.

9. But the minxes are merging into fighting formation and look eager to take us on. Mr. Cousin could still be right about evil spirits! I will have to nudge the good Paul!”