IX

WE REACH THE CAPITAL OF HERTTACH

We reach The Capital of Herttach. Snug in our official lodging-house, Albert accompanies me on a preliminary tour of the metropolis.

THE TRAVELLER. Two hours past the midday bell we entered the outer environs of The Capital of Herttach. The further in we penetrated the city, more I pondered on my recollections of the gruesome Rings of Hades described with such force by the Italian scribe of universal renown. Each boundary we crossed evinced greater congestion than the one that went before. Men women and children in countless multitudes. Solar and other carts inching painfully towards their eventual destinations. The unintelligible racket of speech and street-noise mixing aurally into an unintelligible babble and screech. Wheels clattering on cobble. The shouts of street vendors. Incoherent cries of Broadsheet and Small Sheet sellers waving the latest edition in the faces of the passers-by. Pavements so full, scarce was there an opportunity to glimpse underfoot the material from which they were constructed. Of fine public buildings there were many, though most of streets in which they stood were narrow and nearly all marred by grime and detritus, at pavement level the feet of the ambulant citizens stirring a veritable broth of discarded paper, rags and all manner of noxious refuse. This aspect of neglect I found distressing, all the more so because there was hinted former times of elegance and good order. Albert, perhaps because familiarity renders all men sightless, drove on, cursing other drivers and those pedestrians unfortunate enough to have need of crossing the highway.

In not less than two hours after crossing the periphery of The Capital we came to a halt outside a tall red brick building situated down a small side street. This was, Albert explained, an Official and Secure House made available for the use and comfort of favoured visitors. A woman of middling years dressed in black with a white cap on her head opened the street door on the instant of our apparently anticipated arrival and greeting Albert with deference bade us enter into the reception hall. Another servant, a youth of about eighteen, attended to our baggage and then shewed me my chamber, a well proportioned room with a large casement window that overlooked the street below. Every comfort was evident, nothing having been overlooked in furniture and draperies, everything therein showing the very highest quality and taste. The youth put down my bags and informed me that refreshment, small beer and cheese, would be ready and laid on the table in the dining salon. Thanking him, he taking his leave to attend to other duties.

I quickly unpacked my bags and stowed their contents in the oak press and chest provided for this purpose. I took particular care to secrete the purse of Herttach Coin and again was struck as I took it from my valise, prior to locking it up in a secure wall-cupboard, that the pouch was less heavy than last time I held it. Having remained sealed, this was a foolish notion, one which gave me cause to reflect for a moment on the imprecise nature of the five human senses. Satisfied with my arrangements and having donned clean linen, I quitted my room and made my way downstairs to the dining salon there to eat and discuss with Albert the scheme of things he had planned with which to occupy the next few days.

Weary from our recent travels it was decided a short walk about the streets within the vicinity of our lodgings would be sufficient enough on this first day, our intention being to return, sup, and then early abed in preparedness to equip us bodily to cope with the rigours of more intensive exploration on the morrow.

Having thus decided on our plan and after having enjoyed the repast laid in advance of our arrival, we both donned our outer coats and hats and presently I found myself walking for the first time along the streets of the fabled Capital of Herttach. This being my first visit and not wishing to appear too critical, nevertheless, I could not help but remark to Albert concerning the parlous condition of the streets, alleys and by-ways, of which I could not help but notice during our initial entrance into The Capital. Every aspect left much to be desired by way of cleanliness. What I asked was the reason for this disorder, thinking some publick holiday might have recently taken place with all the resultant debris such periods of licence invariably engender.

ALBERT. Surprised at the substance of my observation, he seemed not to give it notice or suffer little inconvenience. “In times past workmen were employed by to cleanse the streets and highways daily. Hark back, I beg of you, to that day when we were standing in The Square of the small town located in the Mid-Lands. There we discoursed about The Market Place, the salient principle around which pivots all the multifarious activities of Government and State. Tell me Sir why should The Publick Purse have need to expend monies on the provision of services of this nature, when private means can be marshalled to effect the same, thus providing with one swift blow, unsurpassed standards and reduced demand on the exchequer. Our former Great Statesperson issued a proclamation expounding in detail the underlying principles of this philosophy and a legislation was promulgated to the effect that private individuals could tender for the right to organise and direct the former concerns of publick business. With specific regard to the case in point, in due time The street cleansing men employed by The Boroughs were discharged and a joint-stock company who had gained the winning tender was entrusted with responsibility for fulfilling these tasks in the future.”

THE TRAVELLER. “This was a recent change in the manner of conducting of these affairs?” I inquired, thinking this must indeed by the explanation for the accumulated filth I carefully picked my way among.

ALBERT. “Recent? Not recent. Perhaps ten years ago or a trifle more,” replied Albert, stopping for a moment to scrape from his heel on the curb-stone, a mess of rotten fruit he had a moment before stepped on. “You must be aware Sir that no small time is taken for matters such as these to be brought to a condition of overall satisfaction. The first company who held the contract for cleansing in this particular locality was declared bankrupt within six months of gaining it. Since that time no fewer than fifteen other joint-stock and private companies won and then lost the contract.”

THE TRAVELLER. We pushed our way from the main street where the milling mass of citizens hurrying homewards made both our passage and conversation difficult, therefore we ambled along a smaller street where most of the shops appeared to be devoted to the selling and repair of clocks and watches. Now able to continue in a voice of more moderate tones I continued my inquiries of Albert. “Is there general satisfaction with this manner of operating services essential to public health and the general good of the community?” convinced his own dissatisfaction at this current state of affairs must indeed express itself.

ALBERT. Stopping for a moment to glance in a shop window at a particularly fine example of the horologists art wrought in gold and enamel. “When the fifth company responsible due to lack of coin found itself unable to pay the workmen it employed monies due to them, riot did ensue around Herbert Purlock Square in the centre of The Borough. The Runners were assembled at once and order was restored, not however before damage to the sum of twenty thousand Herttach Crowns was perpetrated, the costs of restoration having to be met by The Exchequer from taxes.

Trust cannot be placed in any notion of responsibility for the greater good being foremost in the minds of labouring men

The Minikin Blue Book. Saw XXIV

THE TRAVELLER. We turned right into and along a street mainly residential in character. Outside of each of the houses, refuse packed in black canvas sacks, some of which had been ripped open by marauding cats, spilling their contents, were stacked untidily, the distinct odour of decaying food assailing the nostrils, forced as we were on occasions to walk into the roadway to skirt and avoid them. “Why then, having suffered numerous attempts by various persons, individual and collective, to provide services and failing to do so, why perchance were not the methods employed in former times revived, employing workmen directly, thus returning matters to the condition of former satisfaction and stability?”

ALBERT. Halted and turned towards me on one heel, answering my question with stare incomprehension and incredulity. “The key principle of wise government is clearly stated within The Minikin Blue Book.

Each course of policy and action once set, must be adhered to without any notion of turning about or deviation.

The Mnikin Blue Book. Saw VIII

Such was the distaste the Great Statesperson viewed the thought of any form of sudden about-turns-of-face, she would on all occasions, I have heard said on the highest authority, to avoid turning her head, walk in a small circle if she had the need of look at what was behind her, a circumlocution even then sparingly and reluctantly engaged in. It is a mode of action well learned and practiced by the most trusted and devoted of her successors.”

THE TRAVELLER. Darkness beginning to fall, shutters being drawn and within interior of houses and places of business the lamps being lit, we returned to our place of lodging with little further discussion through a maze of side-streets thus avoiding the bustle of the main thoroughfares. Arriving back at our lodgings we partook of a good plain board, provided and then sometime after thirty minutes past the tenth hour I retired to my chamber. A cheerful fire had been lit and I took this time of quietude to fetch my journal up to date.

Before getting into my bed I peered out through the window of my chamber to gaze across the rooftops of The City, the magnitude of which for a moment or more overwhelmed me, and then directed mine eyes down to the street below me and was saddened to observe numerous persons preparing their own beds for the night on doorsteps and in porches, their only covering against the cold of night, ragged blankets or sheets of paper gleaned from discarded broadsheets.