HnH 2: Part VII: Chapter 5 - 6
Nov. 30th, 2009 11:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caithionHabsburg no Houken, Book 2
Part VII - Daybreak on the Elbe
Chapter 5 - The Dream of Returning to Zion
When Eduard wakes up he's in a bed again and he fears for a moment that he's been recaptured, but a young woman tells him to lie back and not tax himself. Her name is Olga, and she's clearly frightened of him. He tells her bitterly that if she's so scared of him she would have been better served to leave him to die, but she replies that no one in her family could leave someone unfortunate to die. All life is precious.
Something about her words sounds familiar to him. He realizes she's Jewish, and weakly follows her into the kitchen as they talk. She's reading and cooking at the same time, when her book falls into the fire. The book is obviously precious to her, and unable to put the fire out, Eduard reaches in and pulls it out. It's half-burned, but Olga is glad that any of it is left. Then Eduard sees his own name embossed on the cover: Eliyahu Rothschild. This book is his German translation of the Tanakh. Because women aren't taught Hebrew, they aren't able to read the writings of their religion. But this book allows them to do so, and to understand. Copies have been circulating among the community. She herself has copied out five copies of the book for friends. Her father got it from a friend of a friend, who got it at university.
From Olga, Eduard learns of the new belief circulating among young Jews -- that their purpose is to return to Zion.
Tragedy strikes their town over the accidental injury of a non-Jewish child by Jewish children, and the death of the non-Jewish child's father when he tries to kill the Jewish children, and a mob forms, burning and killing the Jewish homes in the area. Eduard helps to rescue the family who saved him.
In turn, he realizes that he has found a new purpose. He is going to make the return to Zion possible. Zion is currently in a part of Turkey which is controlled by Austria. Once Franz Stefan is crowned emperor, he will be able to ask Franz for the land, for his people.
(I've had a feeling ever since I translated the chapter titles, before I even started reading the book, that it was going to take a sharp turn into religion at the end. Here we go. Hang on to your safety belts.)
Chapter 6 - Alliance Reversal
At the start of September, Franz Stefan travels to Hohenfriedeberg with Jaeckin and Valentin, to pay his final respects for the fallen soldiers. On the 13th, a message arrives that he has been confirmed by the electors as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The crowning is set for October 4th, so they return to Austria to help with the preparations.
He returns to Wien, and a secret meeting with Therese and Hoteck (the nobleman sent to France). Hoteck advises them to work through Madame Pompadour, the king's mistress, which sets Therese off in a furry. After she storms out, Hoteck wonders aloud to Franz if all Austrian women are so strict. "What if they are?" "Then I'm returning to Bohemia right away." They laugh, but a voice floats around the room, "You should. Once her good opinion is lost, you'll never regain it."
Franz is stunned and demands that the speaker reveal himself. Eduard steps out of one of the hidden panels built into the room and immediately launches into plans for France.
Franz, still unable to believe it, runs his hands over Eduard's face, shoulders, and arms, before grasping his wrists. "Don't you have anything else to say? I'd like to hear you say something else. Like: 'Sorry for making you worry', or 'I'm sorry', or 'I won't do it again'."
Eduard is rather casual, while Franz is overwhelmed. But Franz also notices a lightness about Eduard that he hasn't seen since Prague. Without a stop for breath they launch into the spiderweb of politics, figuring out a way to win Russia over to an allegiance ... and then, in case of the rumored English-Prussian alliance, a way to make a pact with France.
With that settled, Franz suddenly goes and picks up Prince Eugene's sword piece, Eduard's former eye-patch. He offers it to Eduard, but Eduard shakes his head. Before Eugene had it, it was Emperor Karl VI's, so he tells Franz to return it to Therese. Franz nods, accepting it, but adds that Eduard can't walk around with the ruin of his eye showing in polite company.
Eduard smiles. "Then I'll wear the Star of David."
Hoteck stiffens in shock. Fifty-some years previous, the Star of David was the symbol of the Jews of Prague. He remembers Eduard's job in Prague, and how he knows the act still lingers. "Eduard, you-"
"What, Hoteck? Say it."
But Hoteck declines. He owes Eduard everything, and finds that in the end it doesn't matter.
After Hoteck leaves, Eduard passes over Khevenhüller's report. The truth is, Franz already has an exact copy, which Khevenhüller had given to another subordinate, just in case. But he feels tremendously grateful to Khevenhüller and Batthyány for giving Eduard the will to escape from the Prussians and come back to him.
Speaking of the suicide brigade, he tells Eduard that Therese has left Eduard's reward in his hands. "Whatever you want, name it."
Eduard explains his plans for Zion. Franz Stefan realizes that if he agrees, Eduard will leave him. But that weighs as nothing against having his friend still alive. He agrees.
(Franz and Eduard♥ Most amusing reunion ever.)
Part VII - Daybreak on the Elbe
Chapter 5 - The Dream of Returning to Zion
When Eduard wakes up he's in a bed again and he fears for a moment that he's been recaptured, but a young woman tells him to lie back and not tax himself. Her name is Olga, and she's clearly frightened of him. He tells her bitterly that if she's so scared of him she would have been better served to leave him to die, but she replies that no one in her family could leave someone unfortunate to die. All life is precious.
Something about her words sounds familiar to him. He realizes she's Jewish, and weakly follows her into the kitchen as they talk. She's reading and cooking at the same time, when her book falls into the fire. The book is obviously precious to her, and unable to put the fire out, Eduard reaches in and pulls it out. It's half-burned, but Olga is glad that any of it is left. Then Eduard sees his own name embossed on the cover: Eliyahu Rothschild. This book is his German translation of the Tanakh. Because women aren't taught Hebrew, they aren't able to read the writings of their religion. But this book allows them to do so, and to understand. Copies have been circulating among the community. She herself has copied out five copies of the book for friends. Her father got it from a friend of a friend, who got it at university.
From Olga, Eduard learns of the new belief circulating among young Jews -- that their purpose is to return to Zion.
Tragedy strikes their town over the accidental injury of a non-Jewish child by Jewish children, and the death of the non-Jewish child's father when he tries to kill the Jewish children, and a mob forms, burning and killing the Jewish homes in the area. Eduard helps to rescue the family who saved him.
In turn, he realizes that he has found a new purpose. He is going to make the return to Zion possible. Zion is currently in a part of Turkey which is controlled by Austria. Once Franz Stefan is crowned emperor, he will be able to ask Franz for the land, for his people.
(I've had a feeling ever since I translated the chapter titles, before I even started reading the book, that it was going to take a sharp turn into religion at the end. Here we go. Hang on to your safety belts.)
Chapter 6 - Alliance Reversal
At the start of September, Franz Stefan travels to Hohenfriedeberg with Jaeckin and Valentin, to pay his final respects for the fallen soldiers. On the 13th, a message arrives that he has been confirmed by the electors as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The crowning is set for October 4th, so they return to Austria to help with the preparations.
He returns to Wien, and a secret meeting with Therese and Hoteck (the nobleman sent to France). Hoteck advises them to work through Madame Pompadour, the king's mistress, which sets Therese off in a furry. After she storms out, Hoteck wonders aloud to Franz if all Austrian women are so strict. "What if they are?" "Then I'm returning to Bohemia right away." They laugh, but a voice floats around the room, "You should. Once her good opinion is lost, you'll never regain it."
Franz is stunned and demands that the speaker reveal himself. Eduard steps out of one of the hidden panels built into the room and immediately launches into plans for France.
Franz, still unable to believe it, runs his hands over Eduard's face, shoulders, and arms, before grasping his wrists. "Don't you have anything else to say? I'd like to hear you say something else. Like: 'Sorry for making you worry', or 'I'm sorry', or 'I won't do it again'."
Eduard is rather casual, while Franz is overwhelmed. But Franz also notices a lightness about Eduard that he hasn't seen since Prague. Without a stop for breath they launch into the spiderweb of politics, figuring out a way to win Russia over to an allegiance ... and then, in case of the rumored English-Prussian alliance, a way to make a pact with France.
With that settled, Franz suddenly goes and picks up Prince Eugene's sword piece, Eduard's former eye-patch. He offers it to Eduard, but Eduard shakes his head. Before Eugene had it, it was Emperor Karl VI's, so he tells Franz to return it to Therese. Franz nods, accepting it, but adds that Eduard can't walk around with the ruin of his eye showing in polite company.
Eduard smiles. "Then I'll wear the Star of David."
Hoteck stiffens in shock. Fifty-some years previous, the Star of David was the symbol of the Jews of Prague. He remembers Eduard's job in Prague, and how he knows the act still lingers. "Eduard, you-"
"What, Hoteck? Say it."
But Hoteck declines. He owes Eduard everything, and finds that in the end it doesn't matter.
After Hoteck leaves, Eduard passes over Khevenhüller's report. The truth is, Franz already has an exact copy, which Khevenhüller had given to another subordinate, just in case. But he feels tremendously grateful to Khevenhüller and Batthyány for giving Eduard the will to escape from the Prussians and come back to him.
Speaking of the suicide brigade, he tells Eduard that Therese has left Eduard's reward in his hands. "Whatever you want, name it."
Eduard explains his plans for Zion. Franz Stefan realizes that if he agrees, Eduard will leave him. But that weighs as nothing against having his friend still alive. He agrees.
(Franz and Eduard♥ Most amusing reunion ever.)
