Walpurgisnacht

Chapter One

Zrcadlo the Actor

A dog barked.

Once. A second time.

Then a noiseless hush, as if in the darkness the animal were pricking up its ears for any suspicious sounds.

I think that was Brock barking, said old Baron Elsenwanger. That will probably be Schirnding coming.

Lord help us, that’s no reason for barking, objected Countess Zahradka, an old woman with snow-white ringlets, a sharp Roman nose and bushy brows over her large, black, crazed eyes; she seemed irritated at Brock’s unseemly behaviour, and shuffled the pack of cards even faster than she had been doing for the last half hour already.

What does he actually do, all day long? asked Dr. Thaddaeus Halberd. With his clean-shaven, intelligent, wrinkled face above an old-fashioned lace cravat, the former Physician to the Imperial Court looked like the spectre of one of his own ancestors; he was sitting opposite the Countess, curled up in a wing chair, his incredibly long, skinny legs drawn up ape-like almost to his chin.

The students on the Hradschin called him the ‘Penguin’, and they would laugh at him when, every day on the dot of twelve outside the Castle courtyard, he would climb into a closed cab, the roof of which had to be laboriously raised and then lowered again before he could fit all of his six foot six into it. The process of disembarkation was just as complicated when the cab stopped, a few hundred yards further on, outside Schnell’s, where Halberd used to peck at his luncheon with jerky, bird-like movements.

Who would you be referring to? asked BaronElsenwanger, Brock or Schirnding?

Whom, the Penguin corrected him.

To - who - would - you - be - referring, interrupted the Countess reprovingly, emphasising every word. The two old gentlemen fell into an embarrassed silence.

Again the dog out in the garden barked, a deep bark this time, almost a howl.

Immediately the dark, curved mahogany door decorated with a pastoral scene opened and His Excellency, Privy Counsellor Baron Caspar von Schirnding entered, wearing, as usual when he came to a whist evening in Elsenwanger House, tight black trousers with his slightly chubby figure enveloped in an old-fashioned russet frock-coat made of marvellously soft cloth.

Without a word, he scurried across to a chair, deposited his straight-brimmed top hat on the floor underneath it and then ceremonially kissed the Countess’ hand.

And why would he still be barking, muttered the Penguin pensively.

This time he means Brock, Countess Zahradka explained, with a preoccupied glance at Baron Elsenwanger.

But you’re covered in perspiration, Counsellor. We can’t have you catching cold, the latter exclaimed, paused, then suddenly started to squawk, with an operatic trill, into the darkness of the adjoining room, that immediately lit up as if by magic, Božena, Božena, Bo-shaaaynah, would you serve the supper, please - prosím.

The company went into the dining room and sat round the large table.

Only the Penguin stalked stiffly along the walls, marvelling at the scenes from the battle between David and Goliath on the tapestries, as if seeing them for the first time, and running a connoisseur’s hand along the magnificent curves of the Maria Theresa chairs.

I’ve been down there! In the world! exclaimed von Schirnding, mopping his brow with an enormous, red and yellow checked handkerchief. And I took the opportunity to have my hair cut. He ran his finger round the inside of his collar, as if his neck were itchy.

Four times a year he would make such remarks, suggesting that desperate measures were needed to keep his hair under control, deluding himself that nobody knew he wore wigs, first short-cropped ones and then others with longer locks. His quarterly comments were always received with murmurs of astonishment, but this time his companions were so astounded when they heard where he had been that they forgot their traditional exclamations.

What? Down there? In the world? In Prague? You? Dr. Halberd whirled round in amazement You?

The other two were open-mouthed. In the world! Down there! In Prague!

Finally the Countess managed to stutter, But - but then you must have gone over the bridge! What if it had collapsed?!

Collapsed!! Lord preserve us! croaked Baron Elsenwanger, and went pale. Touch wood. He went over to the stove where there was still a log left from the winter, picked it up, spat on it three times and threw it into the empty fireplace. Touch wood!

Božena, the maid, dressed in a ragged smock and headscarf - and barefoot, as was still the custom in old-fashioned aristocratic households in Prague - brought in a magnificent tureen of heavy, beaten silver.

Aaah! Sausage soup! Countess Zahradka gave a satisfied growl and dropped her lorgnette: the maid’s fingers, in white kid gloves that were much too large, were submerged in the soup and the Countess had taken them for sausages.

I took … the electric tram! von Schirnding gasped, still mindful of his great adventure.

The others exchanged glances: they were beginning to doubt his words. Only the Penguin maintained a stony expression.

The last time I was down there – in Prague – was thirty years ago! groaned BaronElsenwanger, shaking his head as he tied his napkin round his neck. The ends stuck out behind his ears, making him look like a large, timid white rabbit For my poor brother’s funeral in the Týn Church.

In my whole life I’ve never been to Prague at all, declared the Countess with a shudder. Catch me going there! When they executed my ancestors in the Old Town Square!

Well, yes, but that was back in the Thirty Years War, dear Countess, said the Penguin, in an attempt to calm her down. It was a long time ago.

Fiddlesticks; it seems like yesterday to me. Damned Prussians, the lot of ’em. The Countess stared absent-mindedly at her soup, puzzled to find no sausages in it; then she shot a glance through her lorgnette across the table, to see if one of the gentlemen there might have sneaked them from her.

For a moment she was deep in thought and muttered to herself, Blood, blood, how it spurts out when someone’s head is chopped off. Then, turning to von Schirnding, she said aloud, Were you not frightened, Counsellor? What if you had fallen into the hands of the Prussians, down there in Prague?

The Prussians? We’re hand in hand with the Prussians now.

Are we now? So the war’s finally over? I’m not surprised; I expect Windischgrätz gave them a good thrashing again.

No, Countess, said the Penguin. For three years now we have been allied to the Prussians (Al-lied! confirmed Elsenwanger emphatically) "with whom –1 mean, with who – we are fighting shoulder to shoulder against the Russians. It is - " He broke off politely when he noticed the Countess’ ironic, incredulous smile.

The conversation came to a stop, and for half an hour all that could be heard was the scraping of knives and spoons or the soft slap of Božena’s bare feet as she went round the table serving new dishes.

Baron Elsenwanger wiped his lips. Well Countess, gentlemen, I think it’s time we –

A low, long-drawn-out howl from the garden sounded through the summer night and cut him short

Jesusandmary, an omen! Death is in the house!

When the Penguin had pulled aside the heavy satin curtains and opened the glass door behind them that led onto the balcony they could hear one of the servants down in the park cursing the dog in a low voice, Quiet Brock, you blasted mangy cur!

A flood of moonlight poured into the room and the flames of the candles in the crystal chandeliers flickered and smouldered in the soft breeze redolent with acacias. Far below, on the other side of the Moldau, Prague was slumbering beneath a sea of mist, from which a reddish haze rose up towards the stars. Against this background, a man was walking, slowly and very upright, along the barely three-inch-wide parapet of the high park wall. He had his hands stretched out in front of him like a blind man; at times he would be half swallowed up by the sharp silhouettes of the branches of the trees, as if the glittering moonlight had suddenly curdled, at others he was vividly illuminated, as if he were floating over the blackness.

Dr. Halberd could not believe his eyes. For a moment he thought he must be dreaming, until the sudden, furious barking of the dog brought him down to earth again; he heard a piercing scream, saw the figure on the parapet wobble and then, as if swept away by a silent gust of wind, disappear.

The rustling of bushes and the crack of breaking branches told him that the man had fallen into the garden.

Thief! Murder! Fetch the police! shrieked Counsellor von Schirnding, who, together with the Countess, had jumped up and run to the door when they heard the scream. Konstantin Elsenwanger had fallen gibbering to his knees, burying his face in the cushions of his armchair, and was repeating the Lord’s Prayer, his hands together and still clutching a leg of roast chicken.

The Penguin rushed onto the balcony and, like some gigantic night-bird with featherless wing-stumps, was gesticulating from the balustrade down into the darkness, where the servants from the porter’s lodge, urged on by his shrill commands, had run out into the park with lanterns and were searching the dark groves amid a welter of shouts and curses. The dog seemed to have trapped the intruder, to judge by the loud barks that came at regular intervals.

Well then, what is it? Have you finally managed to catch the Prussian cossack? fumed the Countess, who from the very beginning had not shown the least trace of excitement or fear, leaning out of the open window.

Holy Mother of God, he’s broken his neck! they heard Božena wail; then the men carried a lifeless body from the foot of the wall into the light falling from the dining room onto the lawn.

Bring him up here. Quickly, before he bleeds to death, ordered the Countess in her calm, icy voice, ignoring the whimpering of her host, who made horrified protest and suggested they should throw the dead man over the wall and down the slope before he could come back to life again.

At least take him into the picture gallery, pleaded Elsenwanger, pushing the old lady and the Penguin, who had picked up one of the candelabras, into the room full of portraits of his ancestors, and locking the door behind them.

Apart from a table and a few carved chairs with high, gilt arms, there was no furniture in the elongated room, which was more of a corridor. From the musty smell of decay and the layer of dust it was obvious that it was never aired and that it was a long time since anyone had been there.

The life-size pictures were not in frames but let into the panelling. There were portraits of men in leather jerkins, parchment scrolls held imperiously in their hands; women with high lace collars and puffed sleeves; a knight in a white cloak bearing the Maltese cross; a young, ash-blonde lady in a crinoline, beauty spots on cheek and chin, her depraved features exhibiting a cruel, lasciviously sweet smile, with wonderful hands, a thin, straight nose, delicately chiselled nostrils and slender, high-arched brows over her greenish-blue eyes; a nun in the habit of the Barnabites; a page; a cardinal with lean, ascetic fingers, lead-grey lids and a meditative, colourless expression. Each stood in a niche, so that it looked as if they were coming into the room out of dark passageways, woken from centuries of sleep by the flickering gleam of the candles and the unrest in the house. Attimes they seemed to be stealthily leaning forward, taking care that their clothes should not rustle and betray them, at others to be moving their lips, twitching their fingers or raising their brows, to freeze immediately, as if they were holding their breath and stopping their hearts from beating, whenever either of the two living people happened to glance at them.

You’ll not be able to save him, Halberd, said the Countess, her gaze fixed on the door. It will be just the same as all those years ago. You remember. He’ll have a dagger in his heart. Again you’ll say ‘He’s beyond all human aid, I’m afraid’.

For a moment the former Court Doctor had no idea what she was referring to. Then he suddenly understood. He had come across it before: she used sometimes to mix up the past and the present. The scene from the past that was confusing her suddenly came to life within him. Many, many years ago, in her palace on the Hradschin, her son, who had been stabbed, had been carried into a room. And it had been preceded by a cry from the garden and a dog barking, just the same as this evening. As now, there had been portraits of ancestors hanging around the walls and there had been a silver candelabra on the table. For a brief moment the doctor was so confused that he no longer knew where he was. He was so ensnared in memory, that when they brought the injured man in and set him carefully down on the table, it did not seem real at all. Instinctively he sought for words to comfort the Countess, as he had done all those years ago, until all at once he realised it was not her son lying there, and that instead of the youthful Countess of long ago, it was an old woman with white ringlets who was standing by the table.

A revelation, faster than thought and too fast for him to grasp it properly, flashed through his mind, leaving in its wake a dull sense, rapidly fading, that ‘time’ is nothing more than a fiendish comedy, which an all-powerful, invisible enemy conjures up in the human brain.

One fruit of this insight remained: for a split second he had experienced from within something which until then he had not been capable of understanding properly, namely the strange, disconcerting moods of the Countess, who would sometimes see historical events from the time of her forebears as belonging to the present, and weave them inextricably into her everyday life.

It was as if he were responding to an irresistible urge when he shouted, Water, bandages, and when - as all those years ago - he bent down and reached for the lancet which, out of long-redundant habit, he still carried in his breast pocket.

He only really regained his composure when he felt the breath from the mouth of the unconscious man on his exploring fingers and his eye chanced to fall on Božena’s naked white thighs - with the lack of inhibition characteristic of Bohemian peasant girls, she had tucked up her skirts and squatted down to get a better view. At the shock of the contrast between blooming young life, the deathly rigor of the unconscious man, the ghostly figures of the ancestors on the walls and the wrinkled, senile features of the Countess, the image from the past concealing the present dissolved like a veil of mist before the sun.

The valet putt he burning candelabra on the floor, from where its light illuminated the singular features of the unconscious man: his lips were ashen and formed an unnatural contrast with the bright-red make-up on his cheeks, making him look more like a wax figure from a fairground than a human being.

Holy Saint Wenceslas, it’s Zrcadlo! exclaimed the maid, modestly pulling her skirt down below the knee, as if she felt the flickering light made the portrait of the page in its niche in the wall look as if he were casting a lustful eye on her.

Who is it? asked the Countess in surprise.

Zrcadlo - the ‘mirror’ , explained the valet, translating the Czech name. That’s what we all call him up here on the Hradschin, but I don’t know if that’s what he’s really called. He’s a lodger with … he paused in embarrassment, with … well, with Lizzie the Czech.

With whom?

The maid giggled behind her hand and the rest of the servants found it difficult to repress their laughter.

The Countess stamped her foot. I want to know who with!

The injured man was already giving the first signs of life, grinding his teeth, and it was Halberd who looked up and answered. "In her youth Lizzie the Czech was a celebrated… er … courtesan. I had no idea she was still alive and kicking on the Hradschin; she must be ancient I