The Baroque Cycle - The System Of The World Part 60

"Now in your metaphysicks-which I concede happens to be that used by just about everyone-there is this thing called s.p.a.ce, which is mostly empty, but has lumpy bits here and there, called bodies; some big heavy spherical ones which we call planets, but also any amount of clutter, such as this poker, yonder candelabrum, the rug, and these bipedal animated bodies answering to the names Daniel Waterhouse, Princess Wilhelmina Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, et cetera et cetera?"

"That much is so obvious that some of us are amazed to hear a learned man waste breath pointing it out," said Newton.

"Some of those bodies answer only to the deterministic laws of the mechanical philosophy," said Leibniz, "such as the globe, which rolled into the fireplace because her royal highness gave it a shove. But the bodies denominated Daniel Waterhouse, et cetera et cetera, are somehow different. True, they are subject to the same forces as the globe-our friend Daniel plainly feels Gravity's pull, or else he would float away! But such bodies act in complicated ways not explainable by the laws set forth in your Principia Mathematica Principia Mathematica. When Dr. Waterhouse sits down to write an essay, let us say about the Lat.i.tudinarian Lat.i.tudinarian philosophy espoused by him and the late Mr. Locke, we may observe his quill maneuvering all over the page in the most complicated paths imaginable. Here are none of the conic sections of the philosophy espoused by him and the late Mr. Locke, we may observe his quill maneuvering all over the page in the most complicated paths imaginable. Here are none of the conic sections of the Principia Principia! No equation can predict the trajectory of Daniel's nib over the page, for it results from innumerable and unfathomable minute contractions of the small muscles of his fingers and his hand. If we dissect a man's hand, we find that these muscles are governed by nerves, which may easily enough be traced back to the brain, as rivers come from springs in the mountains. Remove the brain, or sever its connexions to the hand, and lo, that limb becomes as simple as yonder globe; that is, we may predict its future movements from the Principia, Principia, and plot them in Conics. And so it is evident that, to the Force of Gravity-which acts on everything-are superadded other forces, observable only in animals, and plot them in Conics. And so it is evident that, to the Force of Gravity-which acts on everything-are superadded other forces, observable only in animals,* and productive of infinitely more complicated and interesting movements." and productive of infinitely more complicated and interesting movements."

"I am with you so far," said Newton, "if all you are saying is that forces other than Gravity act on Dr. Waterhouse's pen when he is writing something, and that such forces do not appear to motivate rocks or comets."

"Hooke was fascinated by muscles," Daniel put in, "and looked at them under his microscope, and labored at making artificial ones, so that he could fly. Those, Those, I predict, could have been described by Mechanical Philosophy; after all, they were naught more than practical applications of the Rarefying Engine, and as such, subject to Boyle's Law. With more time and better microscopes, Hooke might have found, within muscles, tiny mechanisms, likewise describable by mathematical laws, and thereby put to rest any supposed mysteries-" I predict, could have been described by Mechanical Philosophy; after all, they were naught more than practical applications of the Rarefying Engine, and as such, subject to Boyle's Law. With more time and better microscopes, Hooke might have found, within muscles, tiny mechanisms, likewise describable by mathematical laws, and thereby put to rest any supposed mysteries-"

But he stopped as both Newton and Leibniz were making the same sort of hand-waving gestures employed to bat away farts. "You miss the point!" said Leibniz. "I have no interest in the physics of muscles! Think, sir, if Hooke had made his flying-machine, driven, in a deterministic fas.h.i.+on, by Rarefying Engines, what more then would he have had to add to this device, to make it flutter to a safe perch atop the cupola of Bedlam, and balance there as 'twas buffeted by divers wind-gusts, and take flight again without o'ersetting and tumbling to the ground like a shot squab? I am trying to draw our attention to what it is that comes down those nerves from the brain: the decisions, decisions, or rather, the physical manifestations thereof-the characters, as it were, in which they are writ-and transmitted to the muscles, that they may or rather, the physical manifestations thereof-the characters, as it were, in which they are writ-and transmitted to the muscles, that they may inform inform what would otherwise be without form and void." what would otherwise be without form and void."

"I understand that," said Daniel, "and I say it is all pistons and cylinders, weights and springs, to the very top. And that's all I need to explain how I inform ink on a page, and how a bird informs the air with its wings."

"And I agree with you!" said Leibniz.

This produced a dumbfounded pause. "Have I converted you to the doctrine of Materialism so easily, then?" Daniel inquired.

"By no means," said Leibniz. "I say only that, though the machine of the body obeys deterministic laws, it does so in accordance with the desires and dictates of the soul, it does so in accordance with the desires and dictates of the soul, because of the pre-established harmony." because of the pre-established harmony."

"Of that, we must needs hear more, for it is very difficult to understand," said the Princess.

"Chiefly because it is wrong wrong!" said Sir Isaac.

Caroline now had to literally step between the two philosophers. "Then we are all in agreement that further discourse concerning the pre-established harmony is wanted from Baron von Leibniz," she said. "But first, I would fain hear Sir Isaac address the phaenomena of which Drs. Waterhouse and Leibniz have just been discoursing. Sir Isaac, we have heard from both of these gentlemen that they are wholly satisfied it is all mechanism to the very top. What of you? Do you require something more?"

Newton said, "If we allow, not only the muscles, but the nerves, and even the brain itself, to be 'pistons and cylinders, weights and springs' as you put it, whose machinations might be observed and described by some future Hooke, then we must still explain how those mechanisms are informed by the soul, spirit, or whatever we are going to call it-the thing that has free will, that is not subject to deterministic laws, and that accounts for our being human. This is ultimately the same problem as we discoursed of earlier-the problem you you find boring, Daniel-of G.o.d's relations.h.i.+p to the Universe. For the relations.h.i.+p that our souls bear to our bodies, is akin to the relations.h.i.+p that G.o.d bears to the entire Universe. If G.o.d is to be something more than an Absentee Landlord-something more than the perfect watch-maker, who sets His clock a-run, and walks away from it-then we must account for how He influences the movements of things in the world. This gets us round to that mysterious phaenomenon called Force. And when we discourse of animal motion we must in the end address a like problem, namely of how the soul that inhabits a body may influence the operation of what is in the end just a big soggy clock." find boring, Daniel-of G.o.d's relations.h.i.+p to the Universe. For the relations.h.i.+p that our souls bear to our bodies, is akin to the relations.h.i.+p that G.o.d bears to the entire Universe. If G.o.d is to be something more than an Absentee Landlord-something more than the perfect watch-maker, who sets His clock a-run, and walks away from it-then we must account for how He influences the movements of things in the world. This gets us round to that mysterious phaenomenon called Force. And when we discourse of animal motion we must in the end address a like problem, namely of how the soul that inhabits a body may influence the operation of what is in the end just a big soggy clock."

"I could not disagree more, by the way," said Leibniz. "The soul and body influence each other not at all."

"Then how does my soul know that yonder candle is flickering?" asked Princess Caroline. "For I can only know such a thing through my eyes, which are parts of my body."

"Because G.o.d has put into your soul a principle representative of the candle-flame and everything else in the Universe," said Leibniz. "But that is most certainly not not how how G.o.d G.o.d perceives things! perceives things! He He perceives all things, because He continually produces them. And so I reject any such a.n.a.logies likening G.o.d's relations.h.i.+p to the Universe and ours to our bodies." perceives all things, because He continually produces them. And so I reject any such a.n.a.logies likening G.o.d's relations.h.i.+p to the Universe and ours to our bodies."

"I do not understand Baron von Leibniz's hypothesis at all," Isaac confessed.

"What is your your hypothesis, Sir Isaac?" hypothesis, Sir Isaac?"

"That most of the animal body is a determined machine, I'll grant. That it is controlled from the brain, has been proved, by Willis and others. It follows, simply, that, by laws of G.o.d's choosing, the soul has the power to operate upon the brain, and thereby to influence animal movements."

"This is just Descartes and the pineal gland all over again!" Leibniz scoffed.

"He was wrong about the pineal gland," Newton said, "but I'll grant a certain formal resemblance between his way of thinking about it, and mine."

"In each case," Daniel translated, "there is some sense in which a free, non-corporeal, non-mechanical spirit can effect physical changes in the workings of the machinery of the brain."

"I think that much is obvious; as is the fact that G.o.d-Who is likewise a non-corporeal Spirit-has power to effect physical changes-that is, to exert Force-upon any thing whatsoever in this Universe."

"And is it the case that when you study the causes and seats of Force in your Praxis Praxis work, you seek to understand Forces of that type as well?" work, you seek to understand Forces of that type as well?"

"I do not think that any account of Force that failed to address this topic could be deemed complete."

"When Sir Isaac was working on the Principia, Principia," said Daniel, "I paid him a visit up at Trinity. He had requested what seemed to me to be an odd lot of information: tables of the tides, data data on a certain comet, astronomical observations of Jupiter and Saturn. Well, it was a long ride, and by the time I had reached Cambridge I'd managed to work out that there was a common thread running through all of these: gravity. Gravity causes the tides and determines the orbits of comets and planets alike. To us it is obvious now; but back on a certain comet, astronomical observations of Jupiter and Saturn. Well, it was a long ride, and by the time I had reached Cambridge I'd managed to work out that there was a common thread running through all of these: gravity. Gravity causes the tides and determines the orbits of comets and planets alike. To us it is obvious now; but back then then it was by no means agreed that a comet, let us say, might be bound by the same force that kept the Earth in its gyre. Isaac's triumph was to perceive that all of these phaenomena were attributable to the same cause, working everywhere in the same way. Now, I have long been nonplussed by Isaac's Alchemical research, but as years have gone by I have perceived that he would achieve a similar triumph by finding a single common underlying explanation for phaenomena that we think of as diverse, and unrelated: free will, G.o.d's presence in the Universe, miracles, and the trans.m.u.tation of chymical elements. Couched in the willfully obscure jargon of the Alchemists, this cause, or principle, or whatever one wants to call it, is known as the Philosopher's Stone, or other terms such as the Philosophic Mercury, the Vital Agent, the Latent or Subtile Spirit, the Secret Fire, the Material Soul of Matter, the Invisible Inhabitant, the Body of Light, the Seed, the Seminal Virtue." it was by no means agreed that a comet, let us say, might be bound by the same force that kept the Earth in its gyre. Isaac's triumph was to perceive that all of these phaenomena were attributable to the same cause, working everywhere in the same way. Now, I have long been nonplussed by Isaac's Alchemical research, but as years have gone by I have perceived that he would achieve a similar triumph by finding a single common underlying explanation for phaenomena that we think of as diverse, and unrelated: free will, G.o.d's presence in the Universe, miracles, and the trans.m.u.tation of chymical elements. Couched in the willfully obscure jargon of the Alchemists, this cause, or principle, or whatever one wants to call it, is known as the Philosopher's Stone, or other terms such as the Philosophic Mercury, the Vital Agent, the Latent or Subtile Spirit, the Secret Fire, the Material Soul of Matter, the Invisible Inhabitant, the Body of Light, the Seed, the Seminal Virtue."

"You are confusing a number of different ideas," said Isaac, "but this does at least prove that you perused perused my notes before my notes before burning burning them." them."

At this Caroline was taken aback for a moment; then curiosity got the better of her. "What is this Agent or Spirit? Have you seen it, Sir Isaac?"

"I see it now, in the emotions and thoughts flickering across your face, highness. I see its effect effect everywhere," was the somewhat evasive response of Newton. "In Nature I perceive two categories of actions: everywhere," was the somewhat evasive response of Newton. "In Nature I perceive two categories of actions: mechanical mechanical and and vegetable vegetable. By mechanical mechanical I mean, of course, just the sort of thing that Drs. Waterhouse and Leibniz discoursed of earlier: in a word, clock-work. By I mean, of course, just the sort of thing that Drs. Waterhouse and Leibniz discoursed of earlier: in a word, clock-work. By vegetable vegetable I do not mean turnips. That is a new and vulgar meaning of the word. I use it in its ancient sense of something animate, living, growing. It describes generative and creative processes. Clocks, even good ones, run down and wear out. The mechanical world decays. Counterpoised against this tendency to decline must be some creative principle: the active seed-the Subtile Spirit. An unimaginably tiny quant.i.ty of this, acting upon a vastly larger bulk of insipid, dead, inactive matter, wreaks immense, even miraculous transformations, to which I give the general name I do not mean turnips. That is a new and vulgar meaning of the word. I use it in its ancient sense of something animate, living, growing. It describes generative and creative processes. Clocks, even good ones, run down and wear out. The mechanical world decays. Counterpoised against this tendency to decline must be some creative principle: the active seed-the Subtile Spirit. An unimaginably tiny quant.i.ty of this, acting upon a vastly larger bulk of insipid, dead, inactive matter, wreaks immense, even miraculous transformations, to which I give the general name vegetation vegetation. Just as the general principle of Gravity manifests itself in diverse specific ways, such as tides, the orbits of comets, and the trajectories of bullets, so the vegetative principle may be perceived, by those who know how to look for it, in diverse places. Just to mention one example, which we discoursed of earlier: a flying-machine, constructed of artificial muscles, would be a mechanical device, whose fate, I believe, would be to crash to the ground, like the corpse of a bird that has died on the wing. If that machine were to take flight-which would mean sensing every fluctuation of the air, and responding in the correct way-I should ascribe that, ultimately, to the workings of some sort of vegetative principle. But Daniel is correct in thinking that it is also related to such matters as souls, miracles, and certain of the more profound and astonis.h.i.+ng chymical transformations."

"But do you think that there is ultimately some physical substance at work-something you could touch and observe?"

"Yes, I do, and have been searching for it. And I think I know where to find some," Isaac said, and turned to glower at Daniel. But the Princess missed this, as she was turning to Leibniz. "Baron von Leibniz," said she, "can your view be reconciled with Sir Isaac's?"

Leibniz sighed. "It is...awkward," he said. "To my ears, all of this sounds like a rear-guard action fought by a good Christian retreating before the onslaught of Mechanical Philosophy."

"That could not be more wrong!" snapped Newton. "There is Mechanical, and there is Vegetable. I study both."

"But you have already ceded half the battlefield to Mechanical!"

"There is no ceding, ceding, sir. Have you not read my sir. Have you not read my Principia Principia? The Mechanical world exists, the Mechanical philosophy describes it."

"Dr. Waterhouse would say that Mechanism describes not just half, half, but but all all of it," Leibniz said. "I take the opposite view, which is that Vegetable is all, and what we think of as mechanical is only the superficies of underlying processes that are not mechanical at all." of it," Leibniz said. "I take the opposite view, which is that Vegetable is all, and what we think of as mechanical is only the superficies of underlying processes that are not mechanical at all."

"We await a coherent explanation," said Isaac.

"Philosophers of a Mechanick frame of mind break all things down into atoms, to which they ascribe properties that, to them, seem reasonable-which means Mechanical properties. Ma.s.s, extension, and the ability to collide with and stick to one another. Then from this they try to explain Gravity and Souls and Miracles. It leads them into difficulties. Instead, I break all things down into monads, monads, to which I ascribe what some would call soul-like properties: they can perceive, thnk about their perceptions, decide, and act. From this it is no great difficulty to explain those things that are so troublesome, in a mechanical-minded Atomic philosophy-everything that you put under the rubric of Vegetation, including our own ability to think, decide, and act. However, it is difficult to explain the things that are, in an Atomic philosophy, idiotically simple and obvious. Such as s.p.a.ce and time." to which I ascribe what some would call soul-like properties: they can perceive, thnk about their perceptions, decide, and act. From this it is no great difficulty to explain those things that are so troublesome, in a mechanical-minded Atomic philosophy-everything that you put under the rubric of Vegetation, including our own ability to think, decide, and act. However, it is difficult to explain the things that are, in an Atomic philosophy, idiotically simple and obvious. Such as s.p.a.ce and time."

"s.p.a.ce and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.

"If I may say so, your own conception of s.p.a.ce is by no means as straightforward as it seems at first," Leibniz said, very much in the style of one who was firing the opening salvo of another long argument. But before this could get going, the door of the room opened, and Johann von Hacklheber could be seen standing there, holding, in a very significant way, a Letter. Behind him Eliza was pacing back and forth with a fist balled up in front of her lips.

Princess Caroline stared into Johann's eyes, and c.o.c.ked her head. She did not say aloud I told you not to bother me, I told you not to bother me, but it came through so distinctly that all heads turned back toward Johann, expecting from him an immediate apology. Instead he raised his eyebrows and stood his ground. but it came through so distinctly that all heads turned back toward Johann, expecting from him an immediate apology. Instead he raised his eyebrows and stood his ground.

Caroline closed her eyes and sighed. Newton, Leibniz, and Waterhouse stepped back to clear her path out of the room. For they had all understood at the same moment that there was only one person who had this authority: Caroline's father-in-law, the as-yet-uncrowned King of England.

"Dr. Waterhouse, pray accept the role of my knight-errant, and put this thing to rest," she said, and swept out.

"Well! That's a bit of a tall order," Daniel reflected, after the door had been closed behind her.

"Not so," said Newton, "if you'll only release the Solomonic Gold."

"That Jew who works for the Tsar," said Daniel-not wis.h.i.+ng to utter the name Solomon, for fear it would send Isaac into chiliastic transports-"has detected that the trial batch of plates were made of heavier-than-normal gold, and the decree has gone forth from the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg that all all succeeding plates be made of the same stuff. If we disobey, punishment will ensue, in the succeeding plates be made of the same stuff. If we disobey, punishment will ensue, in the Russian Russian style. Were it not for this, I'd swop the gold without hesitation. For I believe it has no special properties whatsoever." style. Were it not for this, I'd swop the gold without hesitation. For I believe it has no special properties whatsoever."

"Then how do you explain your personal resurrection, at the hands of Enoch Root, in 1689?"

"Say what what!?" asked Leibniz.

"Or," said Isaac, "is that the one thing Hooke wrote, in all his life, that you'll not believe?"

"Hooke's account states that Enoch gave me some medicine, which helped."

"Helped!? You have a marvelous gift for understatement, Daniel." You have a marvelous gift for understatement, Daniel."

"It could have been anything...or nothing nothing. It has been known to occur that seemingly dead men will revive after a few minutes."

"I hated Hooke," Isaac admitted, "but even I will admit that he was the most acute observer who ever lived. Do you really expect me to believe that he, of all people, could not distinguish between a living patient and a dead?"

"I see that your mind is quite made up. What point is there in debating it?"

Both Newton and Leibniz laughed out loud.

"What is funny?" Daniel demanded.

"You have made us us debate for hours!" Leibniz exclaimed. "Now that you are challenged on a troublesome question, you claim to see no point in it." debate for hours!" Leibniz exclaimed. "Now that you are challenged on a troublesome question, you claim to see no point in it."

"I need only a small sample, Daniel," said Newton. "Do not forget that for many years I have sought evanescent traces of this in samples of gold that had been infinitely diluted and debased. My techniques are now highly developed. I do not need a brick of the stuff. Just an ounce, or less-a sc.r.a.p."

"I tell you that Peter's a.s.sayer weighed every ounce of it. There are no ounces to spare. I could ask ask him for permission to take a small sample, but..." him for permission to take a small sample, but..."

"No," said Isaac, "I do not think it would be wise for you to tip your hand."

At this remark Daniel was suddenly conscious of the ring on his finger: the one that Solomon had given him, made of con-fused bits punched from the plates at Bridewell. A tingle ran up his arm to his scalp; but he froze there, and said nothing, and hoped that Isaac would not take note of his horripilation.

"Isaac," said a voice. Daniel had to look up to verify that it was that of Leibniz: a bit shocking, only in that the German had addressed Newton by his Christian name, without the "Sir."

"Gottfried," said Newton, not to be gainsaid.

"Thirty-seven years ago I came incognito incognito to these sh.o.r.es to propose an alliance between myself and you. It was about two years after I'd developed the calculus, only to realize I was only following in your footsteps. It had occurred to me that we might share other interests as well, and that by joining forces we might achieve more, sooner. Daniel had encouraged me in this." to these sh.o.r.es to propose an alliance between myself and you. It was about two years after I'd developed the calculus, only to realize I was only following in your footsteps. It had occurred to me that we might share other interests as well, and that by joining forces we might achieve more, sooner. Daniel had encouraged me in this."

"I well remember the match, and the matchmaker," said Isaac, "and his weakness for playing with matches."

This witticism, because it was such a rare thing from Isaac, cut all the more deeply. Daniel's right arm had begun to feel terribly heavy, as if the ring were weighing it down-or as if the strain of the day had caused him to suffer a stroke. He put the heavy hand in the pocket of his breeches, and hung his head.

"Then you remember as well as I that the match flared, only to fail," said Gottfried. "Now I am back, certainly for the last time. Will you not reconsider, Isaac? Will you not obey your Princess-my Princess-and work with me, and lay a strong foundation beneath the System of the World?" Princess-and work with me, and lay a strong foundation beneath the System of the World?"

"I am am and and have been have been working on just that," said Isaac. "Should I not ask working on just that," said Isaac. "Should I not ask you, you, Gottfried, if Gottfried, if you you would work with would work with me? me? It might entail giving up on monads, by the way. Ah, I see by your look that you have no thought of doing so." It might entail giving up on monads, by the way. Ah, I see by your look that you have no thought of doing so."

"The answer then is no."

"The answer is yes yes. But it is a question of timing, timing, sir. It is not for you, or me, or our Princess, to dictate how long it shall take, and when it shall be accomplished! sir. It is not for you, or me, or our Princess, to dictate how long it shall take, and when it shall be accomplished! She She would have it settled would have it settled now now-today! You You are likewise in a great hurry. For you are an old man-we are all old men-and fearful of running out of time. But this is neither here nor there. Nature will reveal her secrets at times of her own choosing, and has no thought of our convenience. are likewise in a great hurry. For you are an old man-we are all old men-and fearful of running out of time. But this is neither here nor there. Nature will reveal her secrets at times of her own choosing, and has no thought of our convenience. Principia Mathematica Principia Mathematica might never have come about had Nature not sent a spate of comets our way in the 1680s, and so arranged their trajectories that we could make telling observations. It might be ten years, a hundred, or a thousand before she sends us the clew that will enable us to solve the riddles we have been speaking of today. Though the Gold of Solomon might be might be just that clew-I don't know until I can inspect some of it." might never have come about had Nature not sent a spate of comets our way in the 1680s, and so arranged their trajectories that we could make telling observations. It might be ten years, a hundred, or a thousand before she sends us the clew that will enable us to solve the riddles we have been speaking of today. Though the Gold of Solomon might be might be just that clew-I don't know until I can inspect some of it."

Daniel smiled. "You are infinitely patient, it seems, save where the Solomonic Gold is concerned. It is amusing. Of the three of us, I'm the only one who is convinced he is really going to die soon-both of you, Isaac and Gottfried, are believers in life aeternal. Why don't you have the courage of your convictions, and agree to re-convene the discussion a few centuries from now, or whenever there are sufficient data data to resolve these issues philosophically?" to resolve these issues philosophically?"

Which was a little bit of a cheap trick-forcing their hands thus, by challenging the sincerity of their religious convictions. But Daniel was exhausted, and could see that the thing was doomed, and wanted only to wind it up.

"I accept!" said Leibniz. "It is a sort of duel-a philosophick philosophick duel, to be settled, not with weapons, but with ideas, at a time and on a field yet to be chosen. I accept." And he held out his hand toward Isaac. duel, to be settled, not with weapons, but with ideas, at a time and on a field yet to be chosen. I accept." And he held out his hand toward Isaac.

"Then I'll look for you on that field, sir," said Newton. "Though our philosophies are so different that I do not really expect both both of us can possibly be there; for of us can possibly be there; for one one of us must be wrong." He shook Leibniz's hand. of us must be wrong." He shook Leibniz's hand.

"Every duellist needs a second," said Leibniz. "Perhaps Daniel shall act in that capacity for both of us."

Daniel snorted. "Isaac may believe I was resurrected, but I did not think may believe I was resurrected, but I did not think you you would hold with such beliefs, Gottfried. No, if you require seconds, it now seems that there are any number of immortal personages who shall be willing to show up on the appointed date, and hold your coats: for you, Gottfried, there is Enoch Root, and for you, Isaac, that ancient Jew who works for the Tsar and calls himself Solomon." And so he did not take his right hand from his pocket to shake hands with them, for the ring felt terribly heavy and obvious, and he had a sort of lurid phant'sy that Gottfried and Isaac would suddenly recognize it for what it was, and fall to scuffling over it. would hold with such beliefs, Gottfried. No, if you require seconds, it now seems that there are any number of immortal personages who shall be willing to show up on the appointed date, and hold your coats: for you, Gottfried, there is Enoch Root, and for you, Isaac, that ancient Jew who works for the Tsar and calls himself Solomon." And so he did not take his right hand from his pocket to shake hands with them, for the ring felt terribly heavy and obvious, and he had a sort of lurid phant'sy that Gottfried and Isaac would suddenly recognize it for what it was, and fall to scuffling over it.

"BRR, MY FATHER-IN-LAW is frightfully cross with me," Caroline announced, "at least, if I have made sense of his letter correctly." She had read through it three times as Johann and Eliza watched. Leicester House resounded with booming and dragging noises: the sound of Royal baggage being packed and positioned. is frightfully cross with me," Caroline announced, "at least, if I have made sense of his letter correctly." She had read through it three times as Johann and Eliza watched. Leicester House resounded with booming and dragging noises: the sound of Royal baggage being packed and positioned.

"So much time has pa.s.sed, and so many things have occurred, since I claimed I was going away to that Schlo to recover from June's traumas, that I had quite forgotten that his majesty was expecting me back. But now he seems to have figured out where I am."

"Probably some intelligence reached him after our little adventure on the Thames," Johann suggested. His discourse had been clipped and gloomy, and he'd been supporting his head on his fingertips-or perhaps that was self-administered ma.s.sage. To Caroline, being bawled out by the King of England and Elector of Hanover might have been a trivial family dust-up, but for him it was a different matter.

"Very well," said Caroline, "it's back to Hanover I go, then."

"Right!" said Johann, and got up and strode out. If anyone had had the temerity to stop him and ask him why, why, he'd have said he was off to do something ever so practical and important. But as both Caroline and Eliza understood perfectly well, the fact of the matter was that he had become so agitated that he'd go mad if he spent any more time sitting and talking. he'd have said he was off to do something ever so practical and important. But as both Caroline and Eliza understood perfectly well, the fact of the matter was that he had become so agitated that he'd go mad if he spent any more time sitting and talking.

"Off to Hanover," Caroline repeated, "only to return in a few weeks! It says here that his majesty intends to reach England late in September. Supposing that the Prince of Wales and I are to accompany him, that means that as soon as I reach Hanover I shall have to turn round and come right back."

"Geographically, yes, you shall return to the same lat.i.tude and longitude," said Eliza, after thinking about this one for a moment. "But you will no longer be incognito incognito. And so socially socially you shall be coming to a city you have never before visited, and to a different life altogether." you shall be coming to a city you have never before visited, and to a different life altogether."

"I suppose that shall be quite true, as long as we dwell in places like St. James's Palace, with all the courtiers and the amba.s.sadors, and the Duke of Marlborough right next door," said Caroline. "But if there's one thing I learned from Sophie, it's that there are very practical reasons for a Princess to have more than one Palace. For her, the Leine Schlo served as St. James's shall for me and George Augustus. But at every chance she got, she removed herself to Herrenhausen, where she could live as she pleased, and walk in the garden. That's why I have been so keen on this this place. It's going to be my Herrenhausen," Caroline announced, "and place. It's going to be my Herrenhausen," Caroline announced, "and you you are going to be its doyenne." are going to be its doyenne."

"Thank G.o.d," said Eliza, "I was afraid you were about to say, 'dowager.' "

"Lady of the Bedchamber or Mistress of the Stole or something," Caroline said, a bit absently. "We shall have to choose the right English t.i.tle for you. Whatever you're called, the point is that I'd like you to live here, at least part of the time, and walk in the garden with me, and talk to me."

"That doesn't sound too onerous," said Eliza with a smile. "But know that any place where I live is liable to have a flux of odd persons running through it, connected with the work that I pursue on the abolition of Slavery, and so on."

"So much the better! It'll remind me that much more of the Charlottenburg back when Sophie Charlotte was still alive."

"Some of my lot may be odder and rougher yet..."

"You have a faraway look in your eye when you say that...are you thinking of your long-lost beau?"

At this Eliza sighed and threw Caroline a mean look.

"I have not forgotten our fascinating chat in Hanover," Caroline said.

"Let's speak of a different fascinating chat!" said Eliza. "What tidings from the Library?"

"When I left, they were still having at each other. They are both very proud men. Newton, especially, is not of a mind to back down. The court is coming here, here, and leaving poor Leibniz behind in Hanover. Advantage Newton. Newton has won the calculus dispute, or so it is believed by the savants of the Royal Society. And the recent controversies surrounding the Mint have cleared up, or so it would seem." and leaving poor Leibniz behind in Hanover. Advantage Newton. Newton has won the calculus dispute, or so it is believed by the savants of the Royal Society. And the recent controversies surrounding the Mint have cleared up, or so it would seem."

"Is that what he told you? Now that that would be some kind of a miracle, if true," Eliza said. would be some kind of a miracle, if true," Eliza said.

"Why do you say so?"

"Is it not the case that the Pyx is still under the control of Charles White? And is Newton not still answerable to a Trial of the Pyx?"