COME TOGETHER
CHAPTER: 1 42
CROSS CURRENTS
In order to get through to the rear of the building we have to walk through the wide corridor that links the front with the back. Slightly lower than either of the dining areas and very nearly the width of the entire restaurant, the passage is squeezed just enough to accomodate a hidden staircase on either side, their doorways accessible only from the front ‘Bar’ – The left flight ascending and the right descending. The Bathrooms – I know – are downstairs so I suppose above us must be….the Kitchen? The Passage is mirrored on the ceiling and on both sides…those old fashioned mirrors with the Gold Veins….although actually no, now I look more closely – the mirrors nearer to the front are clear and modern – the Golden Veins get progressively deeper the further back one goes – as though one were travelling backwards through time, a subtle effect but one that induces a slightly disconcerting feeling………infact the whole ambience is imbued with an almost Supernatural intensity by those vast reflective walls, which create a bewildering ‘infinity mirror’ effect, the reflections interrupted just enough by the Baby Grand Piano and the serenely elegant female Pianist to circumvent almost total disorientation. My own transit through this realm of ever fading reproductions is accentuated and befuddled by the great beams of light which emanate from the belly of the Piano, and which bounce perpetually from shining mirrored surface to shining mirrored surface – creating a greatly entangled reticulation of iridescent strands of brightly coloured lights……the pattern changing constantly as luminous new filaments are added with each new note of Modest Mussorgskys ‘Pictures at an exhibition’………the famous opening notes having now given way to the ‘Blue Streak’ middle section of the first piece. Clearing the mirrors I walk, somewhat gratefully, through a cascading waterfall of brilliant colour into the relative calm of the main restaurant.
The back room is a kind of gorgeous Atrium, with a very large curved glass skylight rising
high above the centre of the ceiling. The sides of the generous light well – that is created
beneath this elegant iron and glass twenty four pane vaulted ceiling section – are tiled, with twelve very stylized trees – their shapes similar to the Suit of Spades on French playing cards – each covering about eighteen square tiles. Each Treelike form bears a different fruit, many completely unrecognizable. Every one of the arborous blades grows from a large circular framed picture, where the Roots should be, and each glistening and light speckled image dances in the flickering gas light streaming in from above, the beams perforated and animated by some softly blown foliage. Those pictures depict the twelve signs of the Zodiac, two at each end and four along each of the longer lengths. The lightwell is supported by six fluted cast iron columns – adorned with lights – and with shallow iron arches spreading
between them that somehow manage to look both Modern and Egyptian at the same time. The ceiling surrounding the lightwell is of illuminated stained glass panels, all of which make up a complex and colourful geometric pattern of roses. Elaborately decorated curved plaster coving joins ceiling to wall, the cornices embellished at points with swirling moulded plaster flourishes. The walls of the room are clad in light brown oak panels, with ornately carved and curved languid Art Nouveau overlays concealing the joins. French Bistro furniture is arranged around the edges of the room…how well I know those Thonet No 14
chairs from Paris. Each covered table is lit with an elegant Tiffany lamp. Arranged
on the walls are several dreamlike Oil Paintings of Idyllic Arcadian landscapes through which lazy naked figures wander. In the centre of the room – standing on a diagonally arranged chessboard floor – and bathed in light from above is the White Alabaster sculpture of a young woman holding a water vessel – the fluctuating light creating the distinct impression that she is standing underwater. The sculpture is completely timeless, I cannot tell is she is modern or ancient.
Beyond the restaurant, just visible through the glass panels in some wide double doors is a small Garden – in the centre of which stands a large Tree – surrounded by a circular seat. The Tree and high walls of this little courtyard are bedecked in hundreds of flickering fairylights and all is bathed in an eerie, wavering Blue Light.
Girl – “This is beautiful.”
Boy – “ Thank you, this part is older than the front, that was refurbished a few years ago…..but this is….fairly original.”
Girl – “ You know – the Statue, the Garden – they seem to be….underwater somehow.”
Boy – “Yes I know, that’s just the way they’re lit…there are some pools of water in the Garden, the blue light reflects off those, the Statue is a little more complicated……..I have a…fascination with ‘Atlantis’ and the Undersea World, and the theme does seem appropriate.”
Girl – “…..Is the Garden open?”
Boy – “ To you…of course…but no not really, not until the Summer.”
Girl – “Can we go out there, later.”
Boy – “ If you like.”
Girl – “ Oh I think your restaurant‘s just lovely…you must be so happy here, with your Mother…….but tell me, how does the pianist stand playing in that vortex of light and sound?”
Boy – “ Vortex ? Oh, yes the passage is rather….stimulating. Actually I think she’s quite happy there…..if you watch her you’ll see that she looks slightly miffed every time somebody walks through – as though there’s some great cosmic disturbance in the atmosphere – but there’s really no helping that, the dumb waiter only comes down on this side, so the waitress’s are constantly in and out, and when we’re busy people walk through there all the time. We put carpet down to try and maintain the acoustics, which are pretty good…I suppose that’s the answer – She has to, that’s the best place for the piano. Have a seat I’ll order our suppers….here, make yourself useful and open the Champagne.”
I sit down at the table with the best view of the strangely soothing Garden as my friend walks over to a square metal panel in the wall, just above where the descending staircase must be. Taking some paper from a nearby table he scribbles something down, opens the sliding doors of the panel and places the paper inside and presses a small green button. Leaning down he takes a parcel from a shelf below the table, just as I manage to uncork the Champagne, the cork rocketing alarmingly towards the glass roof, but arcing at the last minute and hitting the blade of the ‘Gemini’ tree.
Boy – “ Gemini, and I had you pegged as an Aquarius…….but then that would have been quite a shot. Thanks, Cheers – Here, happy Valentines day….I found something in the Lanes that I thought you would like.”
I am handed a beautifully wrapped parcel, about 6 inches by 4 inches. The purple patterned paper, tied with a gold and silver ribbon. Inside there is a small brown wooden box with a very deep grain, plainly made but well crafted…when I open the lid though – music – the tinkling chimes of tiny bells – and inside the dimunitive dancing figure of a Ballerina pirouetting one way then another to the strangest song I think I’ve ever heard –
short ,repetitive ostinatos – really just a series of a few three note arpeggios, with a very soft, almost inaudible Melody shrouded beneath the high little phrases…..unusual, but beautiful somehow….even compelling.
Girl – “Oh please, what is the music’”
Boy – “ I don’t know, nobody knows – the shopkeeper didn’t, neither did mother – Not even my musical friend at the Piano could tell me. But don’t worry I’m sure time will solve that mystery.”
Girl – “ Thank you, this is lovely. I should have got you something…….You know, I noticed the bird on the Bar,I just love these things.”
Boy – “ Yes, the bird sings every night at closing time, she does something quite surprising.”
Girl – “ When I was a little girl, my favorite film was ‘The Blue Bird’……actually ‘The Blue Bird’ is still my favorite film. When you were talking about….Ekphrasis? I was thinking about that film…..about the idealised form of things – The Quintessence – and also about how to….make those things into music. I think that’s what I’d like to do, write songs for films – with proper instruments and really good arrangements – like Classical music. That’s really one of the reasons I’m so…desperate to get back to Paris. There are people there that know about these things, I mean really know – even about linking sound to image – have you ever heard of Rene Clair? No of course you haven’t, not yet. I go to a little Cafe sometimes: ‘Le Boeuf sur le Toit’…..er, ‘The Ox on the Roof’….oh, if only you could come. They do a dish…..’Truffled Scrambled Eggs’ they‘re so….delicious. Paris hasn’t really recovered yet…from the War I mean, and things are still quite hard for people….I did’nt even think Daddy would let me go….but sometimes, sometimes you get something like those Eggs and things seem…Good, you know. Do you know I’ve even seen Satie…Eric Satie sitting there, nearly as close as I am to you…and Jean Cocteau and Francois Picabia and I love – everybody really – and just the whole excitement about……Dada and art and………people mad with enthusiasm and……….and I’m talking about all these things and you probably don’t know what I’m….well, talking about. ”
Boy – “ I think I can imagine, I like seeing you so excited about something…..I hope one day you’ll have as much confidence in me as you do in….Rene Clair? I’m sure you’ll get back to Paris, maybe we’ll even go together, for the weekend or something………….20,000 Leagues under the Sea.”
Girl – “ Pardon.”
Boy – “ My favorite film when I was young. I could hardly believe that somebody could actually ‘Film’ underwater….that I could actually see the Fishes and Sharks swimming about. I nearly persuaded Mum to change the name of the restaurant to ‘Nemo’….I just love Jules Verne. That film is why the Garden looks….subaqueous, I took the lighting straight from there……er……..”
Girl – “What? You’re smiling about something.”
Boy – “ Yes, because that’s only partly true. There was another film I saw that year: ‘The Daughter of the Gods’…..I had an enormous boyhood ‘crush’ on Annette Kellerman…..you know the ‘Mermaid’! ‘The Diving Venus’? Well, anyway she’s famous for performing underwater ‘Ballet’, nearly naked sometimes…….actually I do still find something very erotic about that wavering light……I suppose that was my first stirring of sexuality.”
She – “ Ooh, is that a confession…..I suppose a Mermaid makes sense, growing up so close to the Sea, that’s quite romantic actually, and that probably explains Captain Nemo – but I would have thought ‘Tarzan of the Apes’ or ‘Robin Hood’ would have been you’re favorites…..you know – the Nature boys.”
Boy – “ Really, not Sherlock Holmes? or Zorro?
Girl – “ well, now I look………….The ‘Little Tramp’ maybe.”
Boy – “Ouch, although he is a Genius. But what do you know you’re still a ‘Kid’. Anyway, I don‘t even have a moustache.”
Girl – “ Neither does he, not a real one anyway.”
Boy – “…..Well what about you then, I would have thought your favorite would have been…..er, ‘The Queen of Sheba’……or….‘Cleopatra’…………….”
Girl – “ Er…..ouch? Well anyway, Touche. And now for the big question………..Koko or Felix?
Boy – ” Felix.“
Girl – “ You’re right…………we are very different people !”
Boy – “ Koko?”
Girl – “ I think he’s so cleverly done, and I love the way he moves.”
Boy – “ They’re both good, I suppose. Mother keeps going on about somebody called ‘Georges Melies’, apparently she took me to see all his short films when they were released…I sort of remember but the memories are pretty hazy – they were strange and dreamlike I think, sort of….‘Tableau Vivant’ – Actually what about the Picture Palace, for our date ? There‘s a new release on…’Adams Rib.’
Girl – “ You‘re a few weeks early…that isn’t out yet.”
Boy – “ Oh, really? I thought that had been out for quite a while, haha………….Nothing? I’m not
appreciated in the provinces….Ok then, I was reading about a new film that premieres tomorrow: ’Salome’. The reviews were good: Mannered, Theatrical…….Avant Garde. We could go on Friday.”
Girl – “ I can’t on Friday, I’m already doing something. What about tomorrow?”
Boy – “ I have to open up here, I suppose I could ask Mum. What are you doing on Friday?”
Girl – “ I’ve got a ticket to a talk on Occultism…..have you ever heard of Aleister Crowley?”
Boy – “ Er……………………I’m not sure, I think I might have seen the name somewhere.”
Girl – “ Why don’t you come, you might still be able to get a ticket.”
Boy – “……..Maybe…….I’m sort of sceptical about ‘Occultists’ – I mean – I‘m with Hamlet on the Whole: ‘There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio……….’ thing, but…..”
Girl – “ You should definately come, he’s a very famous ‘Practitioner’ apparently. Why are you sceptical, I would have thought you’d be interested, in magic and spiritualism.”
Boy – “ I just said, I am interested, but I don’t know how much you’re going to find out about them at a lecture by a ‘Famous’ Occultist. Doesn‘t ‘Occult mean Hidden? Famous and Hidden seems like a bit of a Paradox…I mean the invisible man doesn’t Moonlight as a Photographic Model.”
Girl – “ How would you know ? He might be working all the time, that would certainly explain a lot of Fashion plates…….I actually did some Modeling in Paris, I love photographs. You’re just annoyed because I have my own ‘Idiosyncratic’ interests. I just hope mine don‘t close me off to new ideas like yours seem to have done.”
Boy – “ I’m open to new ideas….I just like having them myself. Ooh, That sounded arrogant…….I suppose what I’m trying to say is – I think you should find your own way….your own path to travel.”
Girl – “ Thats what I’m trying to do……but I’ve got to start somewhere.”
Boy – “Of course you do, sorry. How did you get interested in the Occult?”
Girl – “ The cinema again, there are some lovely arty little picture houses in Paris, last year I saw a film called ’Haxan’…. a film about Witchcraft.”
Boy – “ Oh, I saw that as well, I liked that film…….I thought for a while I was going to have to endure one of those terrifying German expressionist things like ‘The Head of Janus’, ‘Nosferatu’ or ‘The Cabinet of Dr Caligari’ – I was quite surprised. But surely you should understand why I‘m sceptical then.”
Girl – “I don’t see why, you don’t seem to know anything about Crowley, so you can’t really know what he’s going to say.”
Boy – “I think I can guess…….Look, I think you’re right to want to explore different belief systems…….I’m fascinated by these things myself….and I do believe that there are methods you could find that would help you to experience the World in…unfamiliar ways – Spiritual Awakenings that open the doors to the mysteries and initiate…….Journeys – Quests even – But, if you’ll forgive me for saying – you do seem intent on travelling down one of the murkier paths first……and even on the brighter roads the first few steps can be precarious – some people never really get past them – so I beg you to make sure your with the right
people when you take them. These aren’t games – The woods are full of Wolves – ‘Little Red Riding Hood’.”
Girl – “ Well – thank you for the advice and the Paternal condescension – but I’m not a little girl anymore”.
Boy – “ Obviously, but there might still be some lessons to learn from Fairytales……even by grown ups ….especially – I think – from ‘Little Red Riding Hood’……..goodness, how big those ‘Pearly Gates’ are.”
Girl – “That’s a pretty weird thing to say……..look, I‘m sure that there are lessons to learn – but I’d like to interpret them myself thanks ………I really don’t know why your making such a fuss though, I hardly think I’ll be in any danger sitting in a Church Hall surrounded by hundreds of people.”
Boy – “ Of course you don’t, because you’re a babe in the Woods. What danger could you possibly be in, sitting in a Hall, surrounded by strangers, listening to a trained, tedious voice drone on for hours and hours, boring you slowly to death………..You know, I’ve sat and watched two people sitting at a table in a busy restaurant, drinking and talking, virtually indistinguishable from everybody else. But one of those people was terrified,
barely managing to conceal his fear, because he knew that he was in mortal danger, but the limits of his experience were such that he couldn’t really define what the danger was……that he was infact close to being completely….overwhelmed, engulfed. Luckily for him there was…an interruption, there frequently is…but not always. If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, maybe you should stay away from Occultists for a few years.”
Girl – “ I’m…………no, you’re scared of them!”
Boy – “ No, I’m careful, like you told me you were……..I suppose that’s all I’m saying really….Be careful.”
Girl – “ Oh great….”The inherited Wisdom of the Age” again, maybe I’m tired of being careful.”
Boy – “ Of course you are, all 17 year olds are, that’s why you’re such perfect targets.”
Girl – “ Says the wise old man of what ? 19 ? Look, if you think you know something about this you should just tell me.”
Boy – “ Should I indeed….and every word I say like a Red Rag to a Bull, pushing you further into places you just really shouldn’t go.”
Girl – “ I do think you could give me credit for having a bit more intelligence than that, I have just finished a two year course in Philosophy you know, in French…………………so come on – anything? OK, so you obviously don’t know a thing, so please allow me to do as I like. If you don’t want to come – Fine – I’ll go alone.”
Boy – “ Do you really want to hear? OK, what was ‘Haxan’ actually about?”
Girl – “ You know what Haxan was about…….THE HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT.”
Boy – “…….and about the fear that the word generates. But forget the word ‘Witchcraft’ for
a moment, to me the film was about – the persecution of Women by male ‘Priests.’……and
about the priests fanatical desire to find out what these Women knew about….certain things…….and again I’d say forget what the film imp lied those things were. I mean can you imagine? Thousands upon thousands of Women questioned, tortured over centuries…….the Wisdom, the Knowledge that must have been extracted. So I suppose my question is – Do you really think another Pederast Priest with a penchant for young boys, asking you questions and ordering you about is really whats required at the moment?”
Girl – “ Wow, that is quite a question…..and, and don’t for a moment think that I haven’t thought about that…….but Aleister Crowley isn’t a priest, he’s a Magician – Priests beg, Magicians demand – and if you don’t know anything about him I don’t think you should cast aspersions about his vices !”
Boy – “ I said I might have heard the name…..and of course he’s a priest. You’ve done a lot more than just watch a film haven’t you?. Magicians, Priests…..they’re all just impotent men in party frocks Howling at the Wind – the only difference is what happens when the Words blow back – and the Words always blow back. ”
Girl – “ You can’t know that and you can’t possibly know what he’s capable of.”
Boy – ” Don’t be angry……..If you could see into mens hearts you’d thank Go…….well, you’d be thankful that they’re all so bloody impotent.”
Girl – “ Well I can’t and neither can you. I can see what you’re saying, and I think you want to help…….but how dare you be so dismissive of something that you know nothing about. Why can’t you understand – I’m searching for something……I need to find something with some meaning.”
Boy – ” I understand that, but you see I do know something about this…….Hmmmn, this is going to be hard to explain……the limits of language…..thoughts – Spread your Wings – My
parents used to take long Winter holidays, they weren’t rich but they were well educated and…this place had given them sufficient insight into the foibles of the wealthy to enable them to mingle quite happily in…..what are laughingly referred to as ‘elavated circles’. A few years before the war they took me to Vienna, I was too young to remember much, but Mother has told me quite a lot recently, and there are some…very interesting bookshops in London. In those years before the War there was an enormous surge of interest in the Occult throughout Germany and Austria, particularly in Vienna. There was an fervant subculture,
especially amongst the more…well placed members of the establishment. ’The Theosophical
Society’ had established a base there a few years before and had managed to reignite a significant interest in ‘Hidden’ knowledge…….There had been a fascination with ‘Rosicrucianism’ centuries before, when groups like ‘Gold und Rosenkreutz’ had counted King Frederick William II of Prussia or ‘Ormesus’, and his chief advisers as members.
Anyway, for several years somebody called…..Steiner I think…Rudolf Steiner…had been vying for control of the ‘German Theosophical Society’ with the actual President: Franz Hartmann. Hartmann published a magazine called: Lotus Blossoms and Steiner published another called ‘Lucifer’ – there was, I think – some rivalry. By the time we arrived Steiner was breaking away from Theosophy and was beginning to form his own movement: ‘Anthroposophy’ – which, according to Mum, sought to integrate rationalism with spirituality:
Concepts like ‘Supersensory Experience’ that could be achieved by disciplined Praxis and focused Independant thought were being discussed, even Art as a Spiritual Bridge….there was an emphasis on ‘Scientific Method’ and prescribed techniques that promised access to what Steiner claimed was objective ‘Arcane Wisdom’. The movement was starting to gain some devoted followers and my parents were hopeful…and interested. But at the same time men like Guido Von List and……I don’t know…..something like – Liebenfels were forming
their own groups – almost like….esoteric counter-weights: ‘The List society’, which would eventually…rupture into ‘Ariosophy’ or ‘Armanism’ with groups like: ‘The Ordo Novi Templar’, ‘The high Armanen Order’ and even to some degree ‘The Ordo Templi Orientis’ – An Austrian variation on Irregular Freemasonry – and later still……’The Thule Society’ – Basically all fraternal orders, blends of Chivalric Freemasonry and Theosophy – but with
a peculiarly Nationalist slant – they took the swastica and the runes as the symbols of their ‘Ancient Aryan’ heritage. These were ‘religions’ that were established to serve only Aristocratic Germans, and facilitate an Elitist Austrian Agenda…..what was envisioned as a kind of ‘Theocratic Aryanism’ – Rule – by a Secret Order of Germanic Priests. There was also a lot of interest in a book called: ‘The Coming Race’ that had been published decades earlier and which, Madame Blavatsky of the Theosophists believed to be a true account
of real events: A story about a subterranean ‘Master Race’ who were capable of manipulating an invisible ‘Force’…..something called ‘Vril’, for good or ill….for healing or for utter destruction.
These were some of the obsessions dominating Austria and Germany before the first shots of the World War were fired, whenever that really was. I think in the future those pre-War
years in Vienna might be seen as a pivotal moment in Occult history….as statements
of intent from a few of the players. I’m not necessarily blaming ‘Occultism’ for the War,
but Members of those groups were most certainly the politicians, judges….and military commanders that made decisions about National policy……and actually – the truth is: They might well have engineered the Assasination of Franz Ferdinand! You see a particular obsession of these Nationalist ‘Orders’ was throwing off the yoke of what they saw as the continuing occupation of German lands by the ‘Holy Roman Empire’, still ruling them under the Mitre of the ‘Roman Catholic Church’ – And they would have had to – if they
were going to introduce their doctrine of ‘Volkish Aryan Paganism’ to the ‘People’ – But for centuries the Patriarch of the Habsburgs was known as ‘The Holy Roman Emperor’ and the Archduke was a still a devout and enormously powerful Catholic. His removal must have seemed like an obvious first step……who knows if anybody actually foresaw War….no, that’s disingenuous….somebody did, and anyway the way I think these things seem to work is that – inevitably – two more barbarities are required to cover up the first….then four more to cover the two and on and on – endlessly – and all the time ‘the group’ continues, deluding
themselves that they‘re still working for the ‘Greater Good’ of the People somehow – despite the very obvious contradictions of an escalating body count.
Nuances about the roots of an ‘Ancient Pagan Heritage’ are easily lost amongst the crowds
and power of the ‘Group’, what is left is often confusion…..and the baser instincts…..vague notions of Nationalism, the pursuit of power, sometimes just the mad scramble to avoid blame. What I’m saying is people are imperfect, sometimes they make terrible choices for what they think are good reasons. Maybe you’re right when you say I can’t look into mens hearts, frankly I wouldn’t want to – But I have looked into my own – which may well be the only real point of a ‘Spiritual’ Journey – and – well lets just say I’ve still got some work to do – I wish I was Good – but I have so much……..I live a simple life here – but I’m telling you the
truth when I say that I have experienced the feeling of having tremendous ‘Power’ – Real or Imagined – Please believe me when I tell you that the temptation to misuse that power is enormous, and ultimately – I think – that’s what we’re talking about when we discuss Crowleys vision of ‘Occultism’ – Temptation and Power – What many of these people are interested in is the manipulation of Power – Energy – but could any of them
resist the Temptations, would they even want to?
There was Good and Bad in Vienna – and there are people doing good work everywhere, but I’m fairly sure they aren‘t interested in ‘Power’. Good, Bad… as I said before I think Duality is an Illusion – in this World at least – because people aren’t that perfect…..maybe thats the problem – The Cosmos constantly seeks Balance – Equilibrium would be so easy to achieve in a World made up of only Black and white……but this World is full of colour and so much more complex than that. Anyway, Mr Crowley is, I expect, affilliated with one of these groups, or maybe he’s ‘United Grand Lodge of England’…..what do they say: “Old enough and ‘UGLE’ enough”…or he’s with the French, the ‘Grand Orient’ maybe……perhaps he’s even something to do with the Americans – the ‘York Rite, the Scottish Rite’ – Even if you knew him well, you’d never know for sure, and what really is the difference? Like I said……….posh men in
Frocks. The ‘Grand Masters’ of the ‘Grand lodges’ in most European countries are members of the cognate Royal families. Probably not ’Kaiser Bill’ : Emperor of Germany…..King of Prussia because of those Nations historical connections to Roman Catholicism, but I expect an ambitious representative of the no(a)bility embroiled in one of those Nationalist Orders would have been on hand to….make the (un)necessary arrangements. And in America? Somebody rich and ruthless….how subtle Thomas Jefferson was when he said “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain ‘silent’,” and he would have known. Certainly though, the ‘Grand Master’ of English Freemasonry at the time was a member of ‘our’ royal family. Were we actually just fighting the ‘Evil’ Germans so that some other….Germans could increase their property portfolio? Probably, but then when the people making these decisions are all related to each other who can say what the real causes are, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha doesn‘t sound like a very English name to me, but then of course they aren’t called that anymore, are they. And thus by Muted Means do the ‘Royal fami’lies’ maintain their influence – their ’Power’ – and the seeming semblance of ‘Democracy’ both. These people are the Politicians, the Judiciary, the Police, the Military, the Civil service………England and France gained so much from the war, and the enmity between the Catholic Church and the Freemasons is very well documented……how easily the French and English Lodges could have persuaded their German….or Serbian fraternal brothers into action against the Archduke – if the stated aim was ‘liberating’ Germany from the Catholics, or Serbia from the Austrians…..particularly when their Masters were the very people who would stand to gain financially from a conflict. I’ve heard people in ‘Flicker Alley’ say that
the ‘Bal FOUR declaration’ to Baron Rothschild is proof of Masonic involvement….I don‘t know, that might be a fudge….probably ‘Israel’ was the price the Politicians thought they had to pay to keep the Zionists in the White House, the Kremlin and the Banks on side during that stupid War. But by what bloody right, and at what bloody cost ?
If all of this seems a bit confusing, thats sort of the point…….intrigues are messy and unpredictable, but I do think that there are compelling reasons to believe that the Freemasons had a hidden – and very bloody – Black Hand in the start of the War. In any case your Mr Crowley isn’t on a lecture tour – he’s recruiting – join him and eventually you‘ll find yourself in a war of Ideologies……..which is really just a another war amongst…what? Greedy men? Corrupt business interests? A few nefarious and priviliged families? Misogynist Religions? Pseudo-Religions? As far as I’m concerned – that isn’t spirituality……that’s Politics – and you place yourself in the greatest jeopody by getting involved in their petty machinations. I’m sorry – to have pulled some of the Veils away so abruptly – but I promise you this isn’t a joke – the World is Real – Actions have Consequences – and there will be a reckoning – “As you sow so shall you reap”. You are a pure and perfect being – a Girl on the cusp of Womanhood – your first duty is to yourself, their silly games can only hurt you. But you must do whatever you think is right……….I have to do something at the bar, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
The music has changed…..I didn’t even notice: Schoenberg – Three piano Pieces – Strange, Atonal…Beautifully fractured……like flaws in a Diamond. I suppose that makes sense. Mixed up Mood Music ! I’m not really even sure what happened – I was only planning to go to a Lecture – just for some entertainment really, and now, now the whole mood of the Evening’s changed. Valentines day seems like a long time ago. The Music Box sits on the table….I don’t think I could even bare to watch her dance now………I should leave, the music’s as disjointed as my mood and I’m confused and melancholy…….but I know he was telling me the truth – his version at least – in all that time his words didn’t get jagged or sharp……. they didn’t…….
crumble – They just slowly changed from Pink Petals to Blue Tumescent Bracts swollen with sadness and pain, but in all honesty I didn’t need to hear that……I didn’t really want to hear any of that….So why did he tell me when he could have just asked me not to go. That thing he said……that was why…..the thing that sent the Shivers up my Spine. The room is Misty, a fog of softly swirling coloured clouds …………..and now my chance to slip out un-noticed has gone – he’s back – he looks as sad as I feel……
Girl – “ Shoenberg !”
Boy – “ I know, she never used to play him….before the War. Now every night’s like an Existential crisis. At least I can tell her She doesn’t have to Sing the Varese……..Don’t worry, She generally manages to find her way back to melody. You might even get some more Satie later. I’m sorry about my….’speech’, You’re too young to take things as seriously as I do. You should just have some fun for a few years, learn how to enjoy yourself.”
Girl – ” I already know how to enjoy myself………..You weren’t kidding were you….when you said…’A deep distrust of institutions’
Boy – “ No, I wasn‘t kidding.”
Girl – “ How do you know so much about these things?“
Boy – “ As I said, there are some very interesting bookshops in London….in Cecil Court and in Bloomsbury.I’ve never met Crowley, but I have seen his name and I have heard some things about him. I don’t always believe rumours but I do know he is involved with the Freemasons.”
Girl – “ Why didn’t you just say something straight away?”
Boy – “ I thought I did…..maybe not enough – Red Rags – One….doesn‘t throw wood on a fire, not when there’s a chance that somebody might get burnt. They‘re very tempting….Fires.”
Girl – “ You, know that I’ve already met him don’t you?
Boy – ” Yes, of course…nice girls from Brighton don’t say things like ‘priests beg, Magicians demand’.”
Girl – “……And do nice Boys call both of them impotent?”
Boy – “ I’m not a nice boy. I’m a messed up boy who’s hopes there’s still a chance he can become a Good Man.”
Girl – “ Is that so important?”
Boy – “ I think so, my Father was a Good Man……I’d like to carry on my family tradition.”
Girl – “…….But you don’t think Aleister Crowley is a good man?”
Boy – “………..I think you should still be able to look yourself in the Eyes when you’re Sixty Six….if you get to Sixty Six.”
Girl – “ That’s cryptic, but I think I know what you mean.”
Boy – “………….You met him after you met me didn’t you?”
Girl – “ The very next day.”
Boy – “ Really? Me and my Shadows, walking…………..and did he do any Party tricks for you? ”
Girl – “ He did something he called ‘Action at a Distance’………he made somebody fall over.”
Boy – ” Greycious, an Adept.“
Girl – “ Not fall exactly, more like stumble………he wasn’t hurt, but…..Crowley laughed a lot, I didn’t think that was particularly funny.”
Boy – “ Well, these things are hard to guage…I hear that nowadays, the Holy Men in India prefer to exercise their ‘Siddhis’ with ‘The Beltsnap’ – The old Pantaloons round the ankles routine – but they’ve probably studied for longer. That’s a joke….I have the greatest respect for the Yogi’s of India. ”
Girl – “ But none for their Western counterparts?”
Boy – “ Well, the Yogi’s don’t have to make loud: “aaarrrrrrgggggnowsagoodtimetofalloveruuurrrrrggg” sounds to make their tricks work…plus, very few of the Indians are secretly working for ‘Melville’ –
call me old fashioned – but I still think things like that make a difference.”
Girl – “ Ha, yes he did grunt a bit……but Melville? I don‘t understand……..is that a reference to…‘Moby Dick’? Do you think your supposed to be the Whale or the Captain?”
Boy – “ Haha…now that is funny….what a brilliant question….I’ll have to think about that for a while – I’m almost sure I know the answer – but that is a puzzle….Actually I didn’t mean Herman Melville, I mean’t Mm…..William Melville, he was the head of ‘G’ section……..er……he set up the ‘British Secret Service Bureau’. ‘Melville’ is a generic term I use for the secret services…….a useful mental picture. You know, somehow I think that they would be able to answer your question with a lot more ease than I can, but then I also think the humour of ‘dogs chasing tales’ would be somewhat lost on them……..I only meant that
the Yogis don’t………..”
Girl – “ Oh I know what you meant……what a strange Boy you are, always talking in riddles……………..You know you aren’t anything like I thought you’d be.”
Boy – “ I know, I had managed to keep our previous ‘Coffee dates’ short…….twenty minutes, twenty five tops….because after that the veneer of respectability starts to peel…..but you seemed so nice, I was…lulled into thinking I might manage a bit longer today……foolish me.”
Girl – “ What’s beneath the veneer?”
Boy – “ Flesh and blood, skin, bones……passion and feelings……and things I would…..struggle to define.”
Girl – “ That doesn’t sound so bad. Why bother hiding them ?”
Boy – “ Because there’s also rage………………I’m angry with Myself, with other people……with the government, I’m angry about the War and my Father, I’m angry with……….everybody really….I’ll probably be angry with you in a few hours…..I thought this Evening was going pretty well half an hour ago. You were right about those films, I probably should live in a forest….the woods calm me down, I like the squirrels. Did you see that film that was in the Cinematograph just after the War…er……..’Male and Female’?”
Girl – “ Yes, I did.”
Boy – “Why did Crichton light the fire ? Why did he decide to go back………….I wouldn’t have lit that fire, I would have stayed on the Island.”
Girl – “ He lit the fire for the others…………he thought that’s what they wanted, or maybe he didn’t really believe he deserved to be happy…..or knew deep down that he was about to marry the wrong girl. Perhaps he just couldn’t overcome his own conditioning……..I mean he still believed that he was infact a butler……But if he’d asked her she might have stayed with him anyway…..even if the others were going back, and in the end he did sort of escape to a better life anyway, with his ‘Tweeny’, I think she loved him the most……….You know, I was thinking about that job you offered me………….I’d like to accept. I can start on Friday.”
© 2014 Kevin Barry Partridge.
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