Read The Alchemist's Door Online
Authors: Lisa Goldstein
The Alchemist's Door (6 page)
A man stepped out from behind a hedge. His clothing was good, Dee saw, and he had a well-trimmed beard and full cheeks and lips. Was he from Rudolf's court? Dee headed toward him, formulating a polite German phrase as he went.
The man brandished a rake and yelled something in Czech. Dee stepped back. Was he a gardener? Did even the gardeners dress well in this country? Perhaps he was a courtier who enjoyed working with plants, Dee thought, someone who would report to Rudolf that he had been trespassing. He quickly spoke a few words to change his appearance, shifting his shape so that he seemed smaller and fatter. The gardener returned to his plants and Dee headed back toward the moat, walking slowly so the other man would not realize he had been alarmed.
Jane arrived the next day. She had left Rowland, who was not yet two, in Poland with a nurse, and brought Arthur and Katherine with her. She was not near term but Dee scoured the city for a midwife, wanting to be prepared when the time came. He found only a dirty foul-mouthed crone who smelled
of sweat and animals and excrement and other, perhaps worse, things. In his desperation he nearly hired her, but then, fortunately, Hageck found him a stout woman from the country. The woman spoke no German and Dee no Czech, but somehow Dee managed to convey to her that he would have need of her in a few months' time.
of sweat and animals and excrement and other, perhaps worse, things. In his desperation he nearly hired her, but then, fortunately, Hageck found him a stout woman from the country. The woman spoke no German and Dee no Czech, but somehow Dee managed to convey to her that he would have need of her in a few months' time.
Jane and the children settled in. Jane complained about the smell from Kelley's experiments but for the most part she was too busy learning her way around the city to argue as forcefully as she once did. Arthur and Katherine played out in the streets and came home speaking what sounded like whole sentences in Czech or German.
Laski's man arrived, and to Dee's horror Kelley immediately got into a drunken fight with him. Dee wrote of the incident, “God suffered E. K. to be tempted and almost overcome by Satan: to my great grief, discomfort, and most great discredit, if it should come to the emperor's understanding.”
But the emperor had not heard, or had taken no notice, because the next day, September third, a man wearing Rudolf's livery knocked at their door. Dee's request for an audience had been granted.
D
EE LOOKED AROUND AT THE STRANGE ROOM he found himself in. Shelves and cabinets lined the walls, holding precious items and junk all jumbled together: swords, globes, clocks, and jewelry as well as rusty nails, old spectacles, turtle shells, and gaming dice. An ivory skull, probably human, stared down at them from atop a bookshelf.
EE LOOKED AROUND AT THE STRANGE ROOM he found himself in. Shelves and cabinets lined the walls, holding precious items and junk all jumbled together: swords, globes, clocks, and jewelry as well as rusty nails, old spectacles, turtle shells, and gaming dice. An ivory skull, probably human, stared down at them from atop a bookshelf.
Kelley had said nothing since they had been ushered into the room, though he had clutched the velvet bag containing
the scrying glass closer to his chest. There was another man in the room as well, and Dee tried to study him without being obvious.
the scrying glass closer to his chest. There was another man in the room as well, and Dee tried to study him without being obvious.
The man seemed all one colorâhis trousers, shirt, jacket, his eyes and graying hair and beard, all were brown. And yet everything was a slightly different shade, slightly off, as though an entire village had gotten together and loaned him all their best clothes.
Probably, Dee thought, that was what had happened. It wasn't every day a man was summoned by the king; his village would see to it that he looked his best. Was he from the outlying towns then, a farmer? But he was too old to work a farm, older than Dee himself, and his spectacles gave him a scholarly air.
Looking closer he saw that the man wore a yellow circle sewn to his jacket. Dee wondered what that signified. A rank? A craft guild?
The man turned, saw him, and smiled. Dee smiled back, caught off guard. He greeted him in Latin, the universal language of scholars throughout Europe.
The man shrugged; he had not understood. Not a scholar then. He said something in Czech; now it was Dee's turn to shrug.
Dee tried German. The man nodded, apparently pleased that they had happened on a common language. “My name is Rabbi Judah Loew,” he said. “May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?”
Rabbi? This man was a Jew! Dee moved back slightly in his chair. Then he felt foolish; the man was an unbeliever, of course, but harmless for all that. They really did not poison wells or kill children.
“Dee,” he said. “Doctor John Dee. From England. This is my associate, Edward Kelley.”
“Good day, Doctor Dee. I assume you are here to see King Rudolf as well.”
“Yes. Can I askâhow long have you been waiting?”
Loew smiled. “Two hours. This time.”
“This time?”
Loew looked around carefully, as if to make certain that no one was listening. “His Majesty is in the habit of summoning people he has no intention of meeting. He is a very private person. I have been in this room twice before, and was sent home without an audience both times. And yet other people tell me he has been eager to see them.” He shrugged. “I wouldn't know.”
A woman came in and began to dust the shelves. “Why does he summon you then?” Dee asked.
Loew shrugged again. “They say he is interested in the Kabbalah.”
“Kabbalah! Are you a Kabbalist? Tell me, I have long been curious about something Pico della Mirandola saysâ”
“I don't know Pico della Mirandola.”
“No, of course not. He's a ChristianâI should have realized. But listen, can you explainâ”
Dee leaned forward, his earlier uneasiness forgotten. A moment later he was deep in a discussion of the transmutation of numbers and the attributes of God. Dust flew from the shelves as the servant continued to polish the collection.
“You have some knowledge of numbers,” Loew said. “What do you know about the number thirty-six?”
“Thirty-six?” Dee said. He felt pleased that this man, clearly an adept, would solicit his advice. “It's divisible by a good many numbers: two, three, four, six, and nine, to mention only those under ten. And twelve, of course. Twelve is a powerful number: twelve tribes, twelve apostles, twelve houses of the zodiac. Is this any use to you?”
“I don't know,” Loew said. “Perhaps.”
The servant stopped her dusting and nodded to Dee.
“Come with me,” she said. “His Majesty is ready for you now.” Then to Loew, “And you after him.”
“Come with me,” she said. “His Majesty is ready for you now.” Then to Loew, “And you after him.”
“What?” Dee said.
“Go,” Loew said. “King Rudolf uses his courtiers as servants, and his servants as courtiers. One never knows quite where one stands with him. But go now, quickly, before he changes his mind.”
Dee hurried after her and then slowed, trying to compose himself for an audience with the king. Kelley followed.
They walked through vaulted rooms and galleries. Shelves and cabinets and tables displayed more of the king's strange collection: stuffed ostriches, rhinoceros horns, globes and measuring instruments and glassware. Paintings lined the walls, most of them of naked voluptuous women in allegorical poses. A man sat in a small room off the main hallway, twining filigrees of gold around a cup made of jasper. They heard the sounds of saws and hammers, and several times they saw construction going on in different parts of the castle.
Dee looked up to see a man coming toward them. Who would this be? Courtier, servant, artist? “I'm the Lord Chamberlain, Octavius Spino
la,” the man said. “I've come to escort you to the emperor.” The servant turned away as though indifferent to their fate.
la,” the man said. “I've come to escort you to the emperor.” The servant turned away as though indifferent to their fate.Spinòla bowed them into a long, richly-furnished room and then left them. The walls here were covered in red leather stamped with a coat of arms. Colorful eastern rugs decorated the tables and benches. Then Dee saw the man sitting on an elevated chair at the end of the room, and all his surroundings faded into the background. The man looked familiarâthe full lips, the pouches under the eyes, the pendulous cheeksâ
“You're the gardener,” Dee said, shocked into English. “The man I saw when I crossed the moat. You had a rakeâ”
“Speak German, please,” Rudolf said, showing no sign he had noticed Dee's confusion, or that he had recognized him. He was dressed less showily than Queen Elizabeth, Dee saw; his clothes were a drab black, almost Spanish in their austerity. But his collar, folded in the Spanish manner called
gorguera,
was made of the finest linen, and his chain of office was the purest gold, and his hat was adorned with buttons of ruby and gold. Two men in uniform stood behind him.
gorguera,
was made of the finest linen, and his chain of office was the purest gold, and his hat was adorned with buttons of ruby and gold. Two men in uniform stood behind him.
“Yes. Yes, Your Majesty. I thought I saw youâ” Stop, Dee thought. Rudolf is playing his own game here. Or he has a double, or he is possessedâNo. Don't think about that. Especially now.
The king had a copy of Dee's book
Monas Hieroglyphica
on a chest to one side of him. Dee had dedicated that book to Rudolf's father, the Emperor Maximilian II. He was pleased to see it, pleased that Rudolf had taken the time to retrieve it from his library. They spoke politely for a while about the book and its philosophy, though Rudolf admitted it had been “too hard for his capacity” to understand.
Monas Hieroglyphica
on a chest to one side of him. Dee had dedicated that book to Rudolf's father, the Emperor Maximilian II. He was pleased to see it, pleased that Rudolf had taken the time to retrieve it from his library. They spoke politely for a while about the book and its philosophy, though Rudolf admitted it had been “too hard for his capacity” to understand.
“You are the man who can speak to angels, are you not?” Rudolf asked.
“My associate, Edward Kelley, is the one who speaks to them. I merely ask the questions.”
“Good. I would ask the angels some questions now.”
“Of course. May we use this chest, Your Majesty?”
Rudolf nodded.
There was a landscape on top of the chest, made of inlays of jasper and onyx and chalcedony. Dee moved his book out of the way, then lifted a heavy bronze statue of a horse off the top and looked around for a place to put it. Finally he placed it on the floor, glancing at Rudolf for permission. Rudolf said nothing.
Dee motioned Kelley forward. Kelley opened the gray bag,
took out the cloth and the wax tablets and the scrying glass, and set them in their proper places.
took out the cloth and the wax tablets and the scrying glass, and set them in their proper places.
“We must pray first,” Dee said.
Rudolf nodded absently.
Dee bent his head. This would be the first time he had used the glass since Poland. If the demon had followed themâbut he had no choice. He had promised Rudolf he could show him wonders. A long time ago, this was, when he had written to the king saying that he might some day come to Prague. Andâhe hated to think itâhe was running out of money. Rudolf's patronage would be very welcome.
Please, he prayed to Someone or Something. Please, let the demon be gone.
He looked up. “What are your questions, Your Majesty?”
“Will my Empire remain at peace?” Rudolf asked.
Kelley looked into the glass. Dee's heart was pounding hard.
“The angel Uriel comes to me,” Kelley said finally. He looked at Rudolf, then back at the glass. “Yes. The angel tells me that you will usher the Empire into a new age, a golden age filled with peace and prosperity.”
Rudolf nodded. Dee began to relax. Uriel was one of the most powerful angels. If they were under his protection then all would go well.
“And what of my brother?” Rudolf asked. “Will he continue to trouble me?”
“I don'tâI don't seeâ”
“My brother Matthias,” Rudolf said impatiently. “Matthias, who thwarts me at every turn. Who spends his days and nights scheming to take my throne.”
“Matthias, yes. Uriel tells me that you will triumph over Matthias.”
Rudolf's lips quirked upward. Perhaps, Dee thought, he was smiling. “When willâ”
“But you must take care,” Kelley said, interrupting him. “You will defeat your brother only if you mend your sinful ways.”
“What?” Rudolf said.
“Mend your sinful ways!” Kelley said. He was shouting now, like a preacher. “If you will hear me, and believe me, you shall triumph.”
“What insolence is this?”
“No insolence. I repeat only what the angels say.”
“And in what ways do I sin? Tell me.” Rudolf's voice had gone dangerously soft.
“No.” Kelley stared boldly at the king. “Those sins should not be spoken of here.”
“You don't know, in other words. And why not? Because there are no sins. You are nothing but a fraud, a charlatan after my gold. You must be mad if you think I reward displays like this.”
“I did not come to you because of your riches,” Kelley said implacably. “I was sent to you by God.”
“Leave me,” Rudolf said.
“The angel Urielâ”
“Leave me! Now! Or I will have both of you arrested.” He motioned to his men-at-arms.
“Come, Master Kelley,” Dee said, stuffing his things back in the velvet bag. His mind was whirling. Had they truly been visited by the angel Uriel? Did Kelley think that he could say such things to a king? Or had the demon come to wreak havoc on their lives once again? Kelley's voice had changed a little, there at the end. They were no longer welcome at Prague Castle, that much was certain.
Kelley continued to look at the king. Dee clutched him by the sleeve and pulled him out the door.
Rabbi Loew was still waiting patiently. “How is the emperor?” Loew asked. “What is his mood?”
“Choleric. I'm afraid we angered him.”
“Oh, dear,” Loew said. He stood and headed toward his audience with Rudolf.
GONE WRONG, ALL, ALL WRONG, DEE THOUGHT. HE HAD dragged his family across Europe to this place, he had insulted one of the most powerful monarchs on earth, he had come to the notice of a potent and malign entity ⦠.
A terrible longing rose within him to return to England. Jane too, he knew, wanted to go home, wanted to stop their endless voyaging. But he could not afford to uproot his brood and send them traveling again, especially now that Laski had withdrawn his patronage.
And there was another reason, though he shied away from thinking about it as much as he could. The demon had come to them in England; it knew where they lived. It was still possible that it had not yet found them in Prague.
He stopped going out. He sat in his room in Doctor Hageck's house and observed his householdâthe children's arguments, the stenches coming from Kelley's experiments. He continued to write in his diary but now he left out and changed a good deal. In his version it was the Lord Chamberlain who led them to King Rudolf; the servant did not make an appearance. He did not think about the reason for these changes, though he knew obscurely that they gratified his vanity.
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