A Night at the Opera

Fallen London
61

Appolonia turns to Jolanda, continuing the conversation with she and Dirae, at the appropriate time, likely before Jolanda begins talking at length to Maria.

&quotI certainly would enjoy reading the oldest and darkest version of a story. There are surely deep truths in it.&quot

&quotThough you are right, it simply enriches the banquet of versions from which to draw inspiration. More choices.&quot

&quotBut I think … the more you understand the layers of meaning a given symbol has had … the better.&quot

[quote=Jolanda Swan]Jolanda speaks at Appolonia and Dirae at the same time.
&quotOh, my notebooks are available for all who want to see them. They are indeed my own work - I doscovered that Greek myths had become so sanitized when exported to the West, and I wanted to preserve something of the old stories. There are darker versions, much more vivid and much truer to the spirit of the land. Of course you might prefer the well-known versions in the end and this is absolutely fine - they also reflect the place and its meeting with other cultures.&quot She smiles at both, and spreads her fan again to hide the beginning of a blush. Talking when so emotional from the play was not a good idea.
When she spots Maria she lowers the fan again. &quotAh, you made it. If I knew you were interested in opera, we could have picked you up from the University.&quot[/quote]

62

Jolanda smiles at Appolonia and Maria, and makes arrangement for coffee so librettos and opera can be discussed in peace. “You must pardon me for a moment; I think I see a mystery about to be explained.” She then walks over to Irene and Professor Sketch, whom she remembers from the University. “Professor Sketch, is that you? Or am I mistaken?”

63

[quote=Appolonia]Appolonia listens thoughtfully to Dirae’s story.

&quotShe sounds so wonderful. I am so sorry for your loss.&quot

&quotIt sounds like the best of her lives yet in you. Are you an author? I should be glad to read your work sometime.&quot

[quote=Shadowcthuhlu]

&quotWe met when she became the inheritor of my parent’s house. Allow to me explain: she was the only daughter of a Baronet. His marriage produced no children, but his affair while serving in India did. He sent money and provided for her but they never met. She was called to Britian as his only inheritor. My parent’s house was his country estate in Scotland - he lent it to them for their research. He never sought to reclaim after his death. According to Evensong, he took the stories of it’s supposed haunting quite seriously. When she came to reclaim it, she found me.

She was my first friend. The first person after my parent’s death to not run away but instead insisted that I come to live with her. She introduced me to her garden, to her stories, to my whole world for the next two decades. I become an author because she loved my stories. She become my wife because she loved me. &quot Dirae Erinye’s voice catches on sadness. &quotThen she was killed.&quot[/quote][/quote]

&quotI wrote a lot on the surface, mostly Gothic romances. I’ve expended my interest since arriving in the neath. My main work is that of a correspondent, but I still write articles for my newspaper, the Avalon Oracle. Right now my weekly articles are a dictionary of the urchins. Their words are too good to be forgotten.

64

&quotGothic romances? How exciting. Do you still have any copies?&quot
&quotI’m a correspondent, too.&quot

&quotA dictionary of the urchins? How interesting. I’ve heard they have very old ways preserved among them. Old lore.&quot

&quotWhat is the most interesting term that you have recorded.&quot

[quote=Shadowcthuhlu]
&quotI wrote a lot on the surface, mostly Gothic romances. I’ve expended my interest since arriving in the neath. My main work is that of a correspondent, but I still write articles for my newspaper, the Avalon Oracle. Right now my weekly articles are a dictionary of the urchins. Their words are too good to be forgotten.[/quote]

65

&quot

&quotI do still have some copies around. I find them a bit embarrassing, but my Evensong decided to import the copies from the surface. She’s on good term with the surface runners.

&quotSome favorite terms. . .well in my next edition I will be discussing the term &quotA Clockwork Orange,&quot in reference to a supposed mythical steam beasts below London. Wnco Mwnco the man that stands in the corner of your vision. Popty Ping, nobody is actually sure what it means, but they use it everywhere.&quot
edited by Shadowcthuhlu on 6/6/2016

66

“Never knew a scientist that wouldn’t go on if you asked!” Irene’s laughter rings out like a well-tuned bell. “It’s nice if you’ve got time to listen; a bit like getting a free lecture.”

“As for me… well, I chose my field with the aim of breaking the Church’s monopoly on Spiritual guidance in London. There’s a lot of people out there who could use some help navigating tricky territory without a lot of shouted moralizing a la the Bishop of Southwark.”

67

[quote=Shadowcthuhlu]
&quotI wrote a lot on the surface, mostly Gothic romances. I’ve expended my interest since arriving in the neath. My main work is that of a correspondent, but I still write articles for my newspaper, the Avalon Oracle. Right now my weekly articles are a dictionary of the urchins. Their words are too good to be forgotten.[/quote]

&quotThe Avalon Oracle?&quot asks Jolanda &quotMay I ask how you picked the title?&quot

68

Gideon arrives at the party, dressed in a suit that is very fitting for a night at the opera. If he were at the stage during the performance that is. It appears to large for his frame, though it seems carefully tailored to fit. The various frills it is adored with could be called rather flamboyant if one wants to be polite. It makes him look a bit silly. Though he answers politely when spoken to, he keeps to himself most of the time

69

When the crowd around Appolonia and Gul abates a little, he steps forward, congratulating her. “A fine work of art I thoroughly enjoyed, dear lady. Consider me one of your admirers. Some opera’s of great masters tend to make me run for the wings of the theater, but this one never did.” And with a small nod to Gul “A brave, talented and compassionate woman you have at your side sir, but you already know that, I presume.” He takes a small box from his jacket, a gift wrapped in black lacquered Japanese paper. “A small token of my appreciation for the beauty you have offered on me tonight, and hopefully will for many more.”
edited by Gideon on 6/6/2016

70

Appolonia smiles at Gideon when he approaches, and introduces him.

&quotThis is my countryman, Mr. van Maessen tot Nedervaal, who remembers Bavaria, as I do.&quot

&quotI am so glad you enjoyed the opera. I had hoped that you would.&quot

She looks at the beautifully wrapped gift, smiles, and takes it from him.

&quotHow lovey and thoughtful. Thank you!&quot

&quotYes, I have been telling the others that I am hoping to stage an opera once a season. If I can stay sufficiently inspired, and the attendees continue to enjoy themselves…&quot

71

He smiles a little wryly at Appolonia’s last remark &quotI do hope then that your next work of art has a benevolent censor, given that you seem to find inspiration in the tales of your friends. But alas, I can no longer stay and have other matters to attend to. Thanks again for your invitation and till we meet again.&quot And he leaves, with a nod of acknowledgement to Jolanda.
edited by Gideon on 6/6/2016

72

[quote=Jolanda Swan]

&quotThe Avalon Oracle?&quot asks Jolanda &quotMay I ask how you picked the title?&quot[/quote]

&quotEvensong, my second wife, has developed a real fondness for Arthurian mythology. She made a reference that reading events in a newspaper was trying to observe the world through Lady Shallot’s mirror; just detached snippets of the greater whole. Since I started the newspaper for her, I figured the Avalon Oracle would a more poetic way to refer to that observation.&quot

73

Agata raises her head &quotYou find inspiration in the tales of your friends, Appolonia? Maybe you can write something about Paris then? I miss that city a lot already… why did I EVER leave it. There were… churches there… and the sun… what do you miss?&quot

74

Appolonia turns to Agata.

&quotI am always glad to hear of love stories and myths and legends from my friends’ experiences and history here and on the Surface.&quot

&quotI don’t always translate anything specifically into a single opera. It is the blend of ideas that interests me, though you are right - Paris would be a good setting for an opera.&quot

&quotI have met people here from all over the world. People I would never have had a chance to meet in Bavaria. What does each of their homelands whisper about storm gods? Or the zee? What are their favorite love stories, personal and from local legend? What local superstitions and rituals do they yet remember that would seem strange to someone from another place?&quot

&quotI see the most interesting patterns in the web when I look at a number of stories together.&quot

&quotIt tells me something true. A story that wants to be told. That has never happened, maybe, but is happening all the time around us. Something about human nature and how we relate to each other.&quot

&quotPersonally, I miss the feeling of the sun on my skin.&quot

&quotAnd, I miss all of the operas that I will never see because I was here, all the music being composed that I will never hear, all the poetry being written that I will not get to read.&quot

75

[quote=Appolonia]Appolonia turns to Agata.

&quotI am always glad to hear of love stories and myths and legends from my friends’ experiences and history here and on the Surface.&quot

&quotI don’t always translate anything specifically into a single opera. It is the blend of ideas that interests me, though you are right - Paris would be a good setting for an opera.&quot

&quotI have met people here from all over the world. People I would never have had a chance to meet in Bavaria. What does each of their homelands whisper about storm gods? Or the zee? What are their favorite love stories, personal and from local legend? What local superstitions and rituals do they yet remember that would seem strange to someone from another place?&quot

&quotI see the most interesting patterns in the web when I look at a number of stories together.&quot

&quotIt tells me something true. A story that wants to be told. That has never happened, maybe, but is happening all the time around us. Something about human nature and how we relate to each other.&quot

&quotPersonally, I miss the feeling of the sun on my skin.&quot

&quotAnd, I miss all of the operas that I will never see because I was here, all the music being composed that I will never hear, all the poetry being written that I will not get to read.&quot[/quote]
&quotLook on the positive side, Appolonia. You get to see a lot of operas here… well, at home, we have no whispers about storm gods or the sea… it was something… abstract… very far away. And to tell you the truth, the trip between Calais and Dover was enough of the sea for me. I lost a good three days meal during it… and weird… my father said goodbye forever to us, every morning he went to work, since he never knew whether the shaft wouldn’t collapse over him. You do know my love story, I believe… myths… there was a myth about a doctor from Cracow, Michał Twardowski was his name. He lived in the 16th century. He made a deal with the Devil. The devil would do all he asked for, as long as Twardowski wasn’t in Rome while a cock screeched. So he wanted to fly, done. Wanted the devil to ram a big, menhir shaped rock into the ground turned over, done, and so there is a rock called Maczuga Herkulesa, Hercules mace. Whatever he asked for, got it. Until, one day a man arrived and asked him to take care of his wife in an inn. So he went there. Then, the man revealed him as the Devil and told him, the inn was called Rome and soon a cock would screech. So Twardowski grabbed the Cock and got carried off to the moon, where he lives until this day, since he asked for immortality too. Maybe I should try that, ask to have Sarah back, FULL immortality for all of us, as long as I don’t get to… Mekka, Bombay or Medina? Do you think my soul might be worth enough?&quot

76

Appolonia looks at Agata, concerned.

&quotNothing is worth trading your soul. Nothing!&quot

&quotSuch deals might make good opera, but they are always awful tragedies.&quot

&quotI know it is hard to grieve a lost love. But try to find something new here. Surely that is what your Sarah would want you to do. Find reasons to live, here, where we must make our new lives, and hold tight to your soul. One day, a new love will be glad of that, and you will surely be, now and always.&quot

She looks a little flustered to have spoken so passionately, and falls silent.

77

Dirae Erinyes pats both Agata and Appolonia on the back.
“Listen to Appolonia on this one, I’m living proof of the ability to love again. When I first arrived in the neath, I was a miserable wretch a of a person. Lost in grief and my attempts to escape. I stalked the streets of London more a sardonic shadow then a person, laughing at others who dared to love. And then I did a stint at the Foreign Office. . .Who knows where you will find someone?
It won’t be the same, or even replace them. Nothing replaces that first love. But then, you aren’t that person anymore.”

78

Irene gives a secretive sort of smile at the question. “Yes… but that’s a matter I’d prefer not to discuss in mixed company.” She tilts her head subtly towards Rysiek. “Coppers, you know. Always getting in the way of the free circulation of goods and information.”