European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss

Author:Theodora Goss [Goss, Theodora]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Saga Press
Published: 2018-07-09T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XV

Evening in Vienna

From the Westbahnhof, the traveling troupe of the Circus of Marvels and Delights went directly to the theater. Lorenzo had arranged for their sets to be transported in a wagon, but the equipment had to be assembled and tested by the performers themselves. Atlas and Clarence did most of the heavy lifting. Catherine tested the ropes she would climb, the pieces of wood on which she would balance, catlike. Then she helped the Kaminski brothers, who were using some of the same apparatus. Beatrice was kept busy helping Zora with her snakes, who needed to be milked of their poison. It was so useful to have someone who was already poisonous! No snake bite could hurt Beatrice. When Catherine walked up to them and told them it was time for tea, Zora ignored her. Well, fine, if that was the way she wanted it! At least if Zora was an agent of the society, she was on notice that Catherine was not to be messed with.

Promptly at 5:00 p.m., Lorenzo stepped out in front of the curtain and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, meine Damen und Herren, welcome to an evening with monsters!” And the show began.

Catherine always had a great deal to do backstage—she was particularly good at putting up and taking down sets without making a sound. But finally, just before her own act, she found a few minutes to look out at the audience. The Queen of Lilliput was describing how she had come to England in a balloon drawn by a pair of tame albatrosses (always used for air travel in her kingdom). In a moment, she would begin to recite poetry by a famous Lilliputian poetess—Catherine had found it great fun to write Lilliputian poetry, although truth be told, she had stolen a number of stanzas from William Blake. This theater was smaller than the one in Paris, but it had electric lights! She thought they were a little too bright. However, the audience was large and appreciative, clapping loudly whenever Henrietta took an elegant, diminutive bow.

“Who is that woman in the front row?”

Catherine was startled to find Beatrice beside her, also looking out at the crowd.

“Which woman?”

“The one in the wine-colored evening gown with the garnet parure, who looks rather like a member of the royal family traveling incognito.”

She examined the front row again. “Oh, that one. Why? Does she look suspicious in some way? Are you suggesting. . . .”

“Of course not! You have grown almost . . . what is the word? Paranoid, Catherine. You think everyone is a member of the Société des Alchimistes. No, I was simply admiring her, although now I think of it, she does seem familiar somehow. Perhaps she is a famous society figure, or an actress? The embroidery on her gown is magnificent.”

Catherine stared at her. “You can see the details of her dress from here? Seriously? And what the hell is a parure?”

Beatrice drew back. “Yes, I can, and you should be able to as well—your eyes are sharper than mine.

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