Death And The Maiden

48

From the post office in Hietzing, Rheinhardt had sent a telegram to the Obersthofmarschallamt — the lord marshal’s office. Under the emperor’s personal direction, the Obersthofmarschallamt oversaw all the House of Habsburg’s legal business. Rheinhardt had hoped (somewhat optimistically, he knew) that — given the Obersthofmarschallamt and the security office were both, in the broadest possible sense, legal organisations — his request might be given special attention. To his great surprise, he discovered later that day that his optimism had been vindicated. At the Schottenring police station he was handed an envelope bearing an imperial seal, and inside was an invitation to the palace written in the lord marshal’s own hand. Rheinhardt had rushed to the pathological institute to collect Professor Mathias’s autopsy results, and then home in order to get changed into his evening suit — palace protocol demanded that visitors wear either a suit, military uniform or national costume. His carriage had rolled under the massive dome of the Michaeltract with only seconds to spare before the appointed time.

Rheinhardt was led by a liveried servant through a series of rooms. He was conscious of a general impression of opulence, flowing past him on either side as he followed his guide: red, cream and gold, illuminated by the pendant brilliance of chandeliers. The atmosphere was redolent with the scent of freshly cut flowers. Rheinhardt kept his eyes fixed on the servant’s shoulder blades. He was sure that looking around in the awestruck manner of a country bumpkin, newly arrived in the city, would be in breach of palace etiquette.

After what seemed like an eternity they emerged onto a landing. The servant invited Rheinhardt to sit on a Louis XIV sofa and tapped lightly on the first of two sets of double doors. A voice called out and the servant entered the room. Shortly after, the servant reappeared and said, ‘Please come forward.’ Rheinhardt stood up, checked that the tips of his moustache were sufficiently sharp, and marched towards the open doors. As he entered the room, the servant introduced him with a pompous declaration. ‘Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt of the Viennese security office.’ As soon as he had stepped over the threshold the doors closed behind him.

Rheinhardt found himself standing in a modestly proportioned room, albeit one with a gilt ceiling and a Gobelin tapestry hanging on the wall. The lord marshal was a hawkish man in his late fifties. His beard was neatly trimmed and his moustache projected outwards beyond his cheeks. He was dressed, like Rheinhardt, in an evening suit and white bow tie. However, his chest was decorated with various ribbons and medals. He was sitting behind a writing desk with curved, spindly legs.

‘Inspector Rheinhardt,’ said the lord marshal, gesturing towards a chair. ‘Do sit down.’

‘Lord Marshal.’ Rheinhardt bowed. ‘Thank you for granting me this interview. I am indebted.’

‘Not at all,’ said the lord marshal, rearranging the papers on his desk. ‘I knew Professor Saminsky. I want to know what happened.’

Rheinhardt lowered himself onto the chair and took out his notebook. ‘May I ask, sir, how it was that you and Professor Saminsky were acquainted?’

‘Saminsky assisted with the management of the late empress’s medical charities. My bureau was frequently consulted vis-a-vis the ratification of documents related to his work with them.’

‘Then you will permit me to offer my condolences.’

‘He was a fine fellow, a man of industry and intelligence. He will be greatly missed. You said in your telegram that he drowned?’

‘There is a small lake near his villa in Hietzing. It was his custom to swim there in the early hours of the morning. His body was discovered by a fellow bather.’

The lord marshal squeezed his lower lip. ‘Some kind of accident?’

‘There was nothing to suggest that his death was attributable to misadventure. Moreover, the autopsy results showed that he was in good health, which means that we are obliged to consider other possibilities.’

‘What? You think he might have killed himself? Why ever would he do such a thing?’

‘I was hoping that you may be able to help answer that very question.’

‘Me?’ The lord marshal touched his chest. ‘How should I know? We were acquainted, but not intimately so.’

‘I spoke with Frau Professor Saminsky this afternoon. She told me that Saminsky was in a rather agitated state last night and anxious to speak with you. There was a function in the Redoutensaal?’

‘Yes, there was.’

‘And Saminsky did seek you out.’

‘Yes, he did.’ The lord marshal assented. ‘And I have to say, now that I think about it, he was out of sorts. Saminsky was usually a jovial, lively fellow, but yesterday he was definitely not himself.’

‘Depressed?’

‘No, I wouldn’t say depressed — more distracted.’ The lord marshal stroked his beard, ‘Restless, unable to keep his mind on one thing.’

‘What did he want to speak to you about? It was Frau Professor Saminsky’s view that her husband wished to speak to you concerning a particular matter.’

‘None of what we discussed required urgent attention.’

‘Forgive me, but may I inquire as to what it was, exactly, that you discussed?’

‘Saminsky was somewhat preoccupied with the possible financial implications of his status as charity trustee. He wanted to know what would happen if any of the charities amassed debts. Would he, for example, be called upon to pay them?’

‘And what did you advise?’

‘I told him that I would get my assistant Ackermann to review the relevant contracts.’

‘And was Saminsky satisfied with that answer?’

‘No, but it was the only answer I could give under the circumstances. He also wanted to know whether his work for the charity board was going to be brought to the emperor’s attention. He was not unambitious.’

Rheinhardt made some notes and said: ‘But did Saminsky say anything that now, with the benefit of hindsight, you recognise as being significant concerning his mental state?’

The lord marshal pressed his hands together. ‘He was distracted, but I cannot say any more than that. It would be misleading to imply that I saw in his demeanour a presentiment of coming tragedy.’ The lord marshal frowned. ‘I will inform the emperor of Professor Saminsky’s death in due course. You will appreciate that suicide is a sensitive subject where His Majesty is concerned.’

Only four years had passed since the emperor’s son had shot himself in a hunting lodge at Mayerling.

‘Was His Majesty also acquainted with Professor Saminsky?’

‘They met a few times when Saminsky was treating the late empress. And Saminsky has been presented at court on many subsequent occasions. It is only right that I inform His Majesty.’

‘I see.’

‘Well, Inspector, I’m sorry I haven’t been much help.’ The lord marshal rose from his seat. ‘But that is all I can tell you — a sad business.’

Instead of calling the servant, the lord marshal escorted Rheinhardt to the double doors. They both walked out onto the landing.

Rheinhardt inclined his head. ‘Thank you, once again.’

The lord marshal made an indulgent sign and mumbled an unintelligible platitude. At that precise moment, the second set of double doors opened, and out walked the emperor, accompanied by two generals. Rheinhardt stiffened and his heartbeat accelerated. The emperor was wearing blue trousers and a white tunic with gold flashes. He was a little shorter than his companions, who were also brilliantly attired but in red uniforms decorated with yellow braid. All were equipped with sabres. Rheinhardt looked to the lord marshal and the rising terror must have shown in his eyes.

‘It’s all right,’ whispered the lord marshal. ‘Stay exactly where you are.’

More people emerged, following the emperor and his generals: an entourage of palace aides and adjutants — and behind them a swarm of serving men. The emperor was marching straight towards Rheinhardt and the lord marshal. As the emperor approached, the lord marshal bowed low and Rheinhardt did the same. He was in this position, looking down at the floor, when he became aware of a pair of extremely shiny shoes occupying the uppermost arc of his visual field. The shoes were motionless, and the general kerfuffle that had previously accompanied the emperor’s advance had now been replaced by a restive hush. When Rheinhardt lifted his head, he discovered that the shiny shoes, as he had feared, belonged to the emperor. Rheinhardt swallowed and tried to keep perfectly still.

It was a face that every citizen of the empire knew: the bald head and the massive oversized mutton-chop whiskers, the round chin and prominent nose, an inescapable face, reproduced, as it so frequently was, in paintings and postcards and on commemorative tea services and chocolate boxes. Rheinhardt was dimly aware of the entourage piled up behind that familiar visage, but most of all he was aware of the emperor’s clear blue eyes. They were looking directly at him.

Rheinhardt could hear the roar of his own blood in his ears, the remorseless pounding of his heart. Suddenly, the emperor threw an inquiring glance at the lord marshal.

‘Your Majesty,’ said the lord marshal, ‘may I introduce Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt of the security office.’

Franz-Josef …

The great empire and all its disparate peoples were held together by this one man. From Bohemia to Galicia, Transylvania to Bosnia, Dalmatia to the Tyrol — Germans, Magyars, Czechs, Slovaks, Croats, Serbs, Slovenes, Italians, Ruthenians, Poles and Little Russians, all of these citizens — from those who dwelt in the grandest Schloss to the humblest peasant hut — revolved around this pivotal figure of power. And he, Rheinhardt, was at that very moment closer to him than any other human being. He felt as though he was standing at the very hub of the universe.

‘Rheinhardt,’ said the emperor. ‘Security office, eh?’

‘Indeed, Your Majesty,’ said the lord marshal.

Behind the emperor his entourage were waiting with bated breath. It seemed to Rheinhardt that his destiny was in the balance, his fate hanging by a thread. It was well known that one of the architects of the opera house had hanged himself after the emperor had made a disparaging remark about its ‘lowness’. The curling of the emperor’s upper lip had destroyed careers and ruined lives.

The emperor nodded, as if a process of inner deliberation had come to an end.

‘Where would we be without our fine security office?’

The generals muttered their approval.

‘Very good, very good,’ said the emperor, addressing no one in particular. He swept his arm forward. ‘Carry on.’ With these words, the passage of time, which had hitherto been held in a state of suspension, was permitted to proceed again. There was an almost physical sensation of unlocking and release.

Reflexively, Rheinhardt bowed again. He could hear the entourage marching past. When he raised his head, he could see the aides, adjutants and servants chasing after the emperor and his companions as they trotted down the staircase. One of the generals was talking about manoeuvres in the east.

Rheinhardt was stunned.

‘Well, Inspector,’ said the the lord marshal. ‘You have been honoured.’

Rheinhardt didn’t feel like he’d been honoured. Rather, he felt as if he had narrowly missed being crushed beneath a juggernaut.