House of Evidence(29)
August 2, 1914. Germany has declared war on Russia. Naval battle in the Baltic…
August 4, 1914. All-out war between Germany and Austria on the one hand, and England, Russia, and France on the other. Prices of goods rising here in Berlin…
August 15, 1914. Fighting on the German-French border. Neither side prevailing. A war has begun that has no end in sight. I fear that the fighting will continue for many months…
September 4, 1914. College begins. Some of my classmates have registered for military service, while others want to complete their studies before joining the military. Our professors urge us to focus on our studies in spite of the hostilities…
November 1, 1914. Instruction in mechanics begins. We begin by studying basic steam engines, and the professor shows us calculations on energy efficiency for railway trains powered by steam. Apparently only 6% efficiency is achieved. I am looking forward to learning about locomotives powered by electricity. The professor says that such a train was first demonstrated here in the city in 1879, and the first extensive electric railroad, between Bitterfeld and Dessau, was opened in 1911 (15 kV, 16.7 Hz). An engine that Rudolf Diesel had completed before his death last year is also thought to be very promising. It is powered by oil…
November 15, 1914. I do not allow the war to interfere with my studies. The worst thing is not being able to write to Elizabeth. Only letters written in German or Danish are permitted, and they are read before they leave the country…
January 12, 1915. Structural engineering. Dr. Hagendorf showed us a photograph of the Firth of Forth railroad bridge in Scotland, which was opened in 1890. It is 2,530 meters in length overall and constructed mostly of steel. A true feat of engineering, says the doctor. Gerhard Grau asks about the best places to set explosives to destroy the bridge. He is very keen to complete his exams as soon as possible and begin military service. Dr. Hagendorf did not reply to his question…
Halldór waited out in the corridor while Matthías Kieler scrubbed his hands clean. Erlendur had gone to see to a number of things, including a visit to Jacob Junior’s long-standing friend the Reverend Ingimar Thorsteinsson.
“Most things in here have not changed at all since the house was built,” Matthías observed, as he dried his hands. “My father had the whole house plumbed, which was very rare in those days. Allow me now to show you round the rest of the house.”
The master bedroom was in the center of the house facing the street, with a balcony in front. In the middle of the floor stood a large double bed, covered with a beautifully woven bedspread, and on each side of it a small bedside table with turned feet, covered with a white crocheted cloth. On one of the tables was a pocket watch, a small box, and some old spectacles. The walls were decorated with tasteful, old-fashioned wallpaper.
“This was my parents’ bedroom and, later, that of Jacob Senior and Elizabeth. After Jacob died, Elizabeth moved to another room on the other side of the corridor. This bedspread is considered a great treasure, and was Elizabeth’s wedding present from her parents in Leicester.”
He opened the large closet, which contained old clothes, packed in plastic bags.
“This is Jacob Senior’s wardrobe,” Matthías continued. “Everything here is as it was when he died.”
Halldór took a bowler hat down from one of the shelves, removed it from its bag, and examined it. He had once dreamed of owning a hat like that.
“I hope someone will be able to make use of these clothes now, perhaps a museum or even a theater,” Matthías remarked wistfully. “They are clothes of quality.”
Opposite the television room was Jacob Junior’s study, with shelves bearing large numbers of books, ring binders, and stacks of papers.
“I assume you will need to look through Jacob Junior’s papers. Everything is on hand here. My nephew was very organized. All the account books for the running of the house will be found somewhere here.”
Elizabeth’s bedroom was directly opposite the bathroom. It had been arranged in the same manner as the master bedroom, with clothing packed in plastic bags in the closet, and everything kept clean and tidy. There were a few personal effects on the bedside table; some simple pieces of jewelry, a comb, and a Bible in English.
The last room upstairs was Jacob Junior’s bedroom. It contained a neatly made single bed and, on the bedside table, an alarm clock and a copy of Goethe’s Die Leiden des jungen Werthers, with a bookmark tucked toward the back of the book.
“Did Jacob read German?” Halldór asked.
“Yes, he was a good linguist; he spoke English like a native, of course, but also had a good command of German. His father encouraged this.”