The Last Palace by Norman Eisen

Author:Norman Eisen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crown/Archetype
Published: 2018-09-03T16:00:00+00:00

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The presence of Laurence’s family did not slow his relationship with Cecilia. She reciprocated his ardor. “He was still in the prime of life when we met—a handsome, vivacious man, radiating energy and optimism,” she recalled later. She was unabashed about sex, leavening that frankness with her sense of humor. With a wicked twinkle, she called Laurence “Your Excellency.” They both laughed at her silliness, though he never really objected to being reminded of his position.

They discussed everything: politics, the arts, society, and other people—especially aristocrats. She became an important source for him in his diplomacy, one of his confidantes who had known Prague not only before and after the war but during it. Her and Leopold’s apartment had served as a clandestine meeting place for resisters, and she could tell Laurence who was who. She had been brave in other ways as well. When the Nazi persecutions began, she would go to the Jewish ghetto near the Old New Synagogue. There she saw Jews queuing for trains, “gathered together like cattle, branded with the yellow star.” Despite the danger posed by the German sentries, she did what she could to help the terrified people, pressing “a little money stealthily into their hands” and whispering prayers on their behalf in the adjacent Old Jewish Cemetery among its helter-skelter ancient tombstones.

Over time, even Laurence’s and Cecilia’s spouses grew close. The two couples were at the head of their respective social orders in Prague, the aristocratic and the diplomatic. As a result, the four of them were constantly thrown together at cocktail gatherings, formal white-tie balls, and even weekend house parties. Dulcie and Leopold were soon carrying on an open flirtation of their own. The rich and socially prominent Dulcie was used to people falling all over themselves to please her, but Cecilia observed that Leopold “could not have cared less if she had been the Empress of China.” Dulcie knew that Leopold liked her for who she was, and that meant a great deal. “He teased her out of moods and tempers, laughed at her airs and graces, shocked her with ribald jokes, and hugged and kissed her most disrespectfully whenever they met.”

Dulcie returned Leopold’s attentions, though as far as Cecilia knew the relationship never went beyond flirtation (not that the open-minded countess would have objected). Cecilia was also fond of Dulcie—up to a point. Dulcie hoped for “heart-to-heart woman’s talk,” the kinds of confidences that Cecilia shared with no one. The war, with all those covert, desperate conversations at their home, had taught Cecilia to beware of making disclosures, especially about herself.

Most uncomfortably for the countess, Dulcie tried to probe the relationship between Laurence and Cecilia. She would ask thorny, embarrassing questions: “Do tell me, was there a little romance between you and Laurence before I came to Prague? I wouldn’t blame you in the least. After all you didn’t know me then—and he is very attractive to women.” Cecilia’s mind raced in those moments. She didn’t want to lie, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth, either.

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