Topic: dnd oakley street prev
dnd oakley street > Oakley Street Part Nine
Paris
Outside the university, John manages to find an anbaric public carriage heading towards Hugo’s flat. He manages to speak to the bus driver, in slightly broken French, which irritates the driver, “Do you go towards this address?”
The driver gives a less than helpful answer, “Can’t you read the front?”
Having determined that they are on the correct carriage, Dahlia begins to count out change for the fare. “How many Centimes in a Franc?” she asks.
Taking the opportunity to tease her friend, Cassandra asks, “Centimes? As in, hundred?”
Having arrived at Hugo’s street and disembarked from the carriage, Dahlia takes the paper note with his address and walks along, trying to find the flat. This proves difficult, as the house numbers are confusing, and Dahlia is becoming overwhelmed by the aesthetic of the architecture, with its motifs that could be repurposed for use on garments, had she still been a tailor.
Once Hugo’s flat, on the first floor of a grand townhouse, has been identified, it becomes apparent that the pavement outside of the house is avoided by passers by. People step out into the road rather than tread on the stones outside the ‘death house’.
It is easy for the group to gain access to the flat. It is clear that someone has been in the flat very recently, since the death of its occupant. The thought occurs to Dahlia; “What if they’ve been here so recently, that they’re still here?” Dahlia becomes quite shaken at this thought. Ethel locates the kitchen in Hugo’s flat, leads Dahlia there, and makes her a cup of sweet tea.
While Ethel is tending to Dahlia, the rest of the party search through the papers which remain in Hugo’s flat. It becomes clear that anything of academic interest, or related to his work, has been removed. Rather than searching for the obvious books and papers, the group turn instead to some handwritten notes scattered loose around the room. In amongst the reminders and shopping lists, they find a note containing a Bible verse and several titles of books that are not on the shelves.
John attempts to translate the Bible verse from French, but is unable to translate it directly, or recall which verse it is. He holds on to the note, hoping that he will be able to translate it later.
At Cassandra’s suggestion, the party knock on the door of the neighbouring flat, hoping that the occupant will have noticed the disturbance overnight. “We are friends of the person upstairs,” she says, via John’s translation. The door opens, on the chain. “Did you hear anyone break into the other flat?”
“Yes, there was lots of banging, and barking, one night this week,” she replies, through John. Despite the language difference, everyone can tell that she is nervous. “He pushed his work too far and in doing so pushed away all his friends.”
Having found out all that they can from the neighbour, the party head to the university library. Tom finds the book referenced in Hugo’s note, using the lirbary’s system of reference cards. They avoid speaking to any of the library staff to avoid raising suspicion.
Taking the book down from its shelf, Tom notices that it weighs less than it should. A number of pages, especially those on topics that would be of interest to Hugo, and by connection, the party, are missing.
From behind a shelf, a librarian has been watching the party. She steps out, making it known to the party that she has been watching them. For a moment, the thought runs through Ethel’s mind that she might be a spy for the Majesterium; however, there are so many official Majesterium guards that there would be little need for a spy. Then, Ethel realises.
“Can you direct me to Oakley Street?” she asks.
“Yes,” replies the librarian, “But you’d have to go to London for that.” The librarian leads the party away to a private room.
Once seated, John lays down note he took from Hugo’s flat onto the table. The librarian looks at it closely, a moment later picking up an English Bible and finding the relevant verse.
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Genesis 3:19
The librarian also hands the party a message from Doctor Hannah. It is the alethiometer’s answer to the question posed to it by the party when they last met Doctor Hannah, “Why is there infighting in the Majesterium?”
power, some wings want more academic freedom
The librarian continues the conversation in fluent English, for the benefit of the whole party.
“We are due an inspection tomorrow by the Majesterium’s alethiometrist. You may join for breakfast at seven thirty, provided, of course, you have enough of the vcabulary of the alethiometer. Also, you will be welcome to dine at the college tonight.”
The party spend the rest of the evening dining and memorising the thirty six symbols on the alethiometer; or, in Dahlia’s case, writing them on her arm.