Dr. Palladino sighed a deep sigh and lowered his head.
“Why don’t you light a cigarette, Doctor? Charlie tells me that you are a heavy smoker.”
“I myself don’t know why,” said Dr. Palladino, taking out a pack of cigarettes and lighter from his jacket pocket. “I guess because this is the presidential office.” He lit the cigarette and took a drag.
“That is how you still perceive that space? And you’re still sitting in that uncomfortable chair, as you did on the first day. Why don’t you sit in the armchair?” the Grasshopper asked.
“I don’t want to.” Dr. Palladino took a small silver dish from the stylish dresser and sat back in his chair. He lay the dish in his lap and put his ashes in it.
“May I continue, Doctor?” the Grasshopper asked.
“Yes, yes… of course…”
“Thank you. Consider any ruler in history who lost the war. And at the ends of the epochs every ruler lost it. Imagine the enemy capturing his castle or city, his residence… and he’s sitting at this table. What would the ruler do? Any of them?”
“The same. They would all do the same.”
“And don’t you think that the Kaellas were aware the entire time of the weapon that they had at their disposal? Their last interview reminded me of that. Did you watch it?”
“I didn’t.”
“Kaella said that he had reduced the State’s expenses by merging the army and police into a single organization — the Inspectorate. And he didn’t merge them. He abolished the military, in the classical sense. The inspectors spent their entire time searching people’s apartments and preventing petty crimes. Or they would stifle an uprising or protest. That is why he stopped producing weapons. He produced minimal quantities, and only conventional weapons. Why? Because he knew that no one could do anything to him, that he could ultimately come and sit down at this table.”
“You’re right. It all fits. They were aware of what they had in their hands.”
“Exactly. Just like all rulers, the Kaellas lived in their own world. And that’s why they didn’t sense the threat on time. That is why they allowed the unintelligent but wily Erivan to mislead them and outmaneuver them. And I clearly saw the course of events and the end of civilization. The destruction of the planet. And I wondered, why would the Kaellas have to do that? Why wouldn’t I do that?”
“Because you didn’t want to be their victim? Because that would be an insult to your intellect?”
“No, because I wanted to be the executioner. Because I wanted to lower the curtain. And I will be a victim. I told you that I would kill all life. And as you can see, I too am alive.”
“Unfortunately.”
Chapter 132
“In that largest city in the world…” Sayash told the children sitting around him, during one of the breaks on their voyage.
“Megapolis,” Hideaki reminded him.
“Yes… there are many streets…”
“We know that!” the children shouted.
“Pssst! You’ll wake Lucky!” Sayash hushed them.
Lucky was lying on his back in Sayash’s lap, and Sayash was stroking his stomach.
“Well, you know that…” Sayash continued with a whisper. “But you don’t know what there is in those streets.”
“We know that too. Shops…
“Monuments…”
“Advertisements…”
“Cars…”
“Stoplights…”
“Newsstands…”
“Crosswalks…”
“Cafes…” the children went on.
“Yes, yes… there is all that. But that’s not important.”
“I know what’s important, Mr. Sayash,” said Zita.
“What?” Sayash asked.
“There are many dumpsters.”
“Bravo, Zita!” Sayash shouted out, waking Lucky, who was on his feet in an instant. Sayash immediately took him in his arms and stroked him with one finger between the ears.
“I’m sorry, Lucky. Please forgive me. But they made me so happy! These children of ours are really smart.”
Lucky looked at the children and wagged his tail. It seemed that he wasn’t angry at all.
“Mr. Sayash will change your clothes. We’ll find all kinds of things in those dumpsters. You’ll take off those stained shirts. What class did you have before the fieldtrip? Art, wasn’t it? You got it all over your shirts. And all of you the same color. What kind of art is it if they give you only one color? I have a bone to pick with your teacher when we get back from the fieldtrip. Hmm, art with only one color… although it is bright red… but still…” Sayash wouldn’t stop bickering.
Chapter 133
Seneca had spent the previous night in the shelter with his wife, for the first time since the beginning of the war. The following morning Pascal didn’t come to breakfast.
“Sir, breakfast!” Manami said loudly, standing in front of the door to Pascal’s quarters.
“I won’t be having breakfast!” Pascal said from behind the closed door.
“Why?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Alright, sir, as you wish. Peter, you’ll have two eggs, right?”
“Sir, lunch!” Manami said loudly, standing in front of the door to Pascal’s quarters.
“I won’t be having lunch!” Pascal said from behind the closed door.
“Why?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Alright, sir, as you wish. Peter, help Eir get into the chair.”
“Sir, dinner!” Manami said loudly, standing in front of the door to Pascal’s quarters.
“I won’t be having dinner!” Pascal said from behind the closed door.
“Why?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Sir, you haven’t eaten anything today. Are you ill?
“No.”
“Peter’s anxious because you haven’t left your quarters all day.”
“I’m not ill.”
“Peter thinks that you’re angry at us.”
“I’m not.”
“You hear that, Peter? The gentleman isn’t angry at us.”
“So why doesn’t he come out? He doesn’t have to eat,” Peter whispered to his mother.
“Peter asks why you don’t come out to the dining room? He says you don’t have to have dinner.”
“I won’t be coming.”
“Sir!” Manami said even louder. “Peter has been thinking about your strange behavior all day. The child might even think that you have an argument with his father last night. And perhaps you are angry at him, since you say you aren’t angry at us. Do you understand?”
After a few moments Pascal opened the door, came out into the dining room, passed by Manami without looking at her, and sat down at his place at the table. He stroked Eir on the head, raised his eyes towards Peter and smiled at him, unsuccessfully.
“I’m not angry at anyone, Peter. Why would I be? I’ve just had enough of all this. I’m a bit nervous… and I don’t want to spread it to you. Do you understand?”
“Well… I understand. And when will you be over that?”
“Leave the gentleman alone, Peter. Eat your dinner. It will get cold…,” said Manami, placing a plate in front of Pascal.
“I won’t be eating,” said Pascal.
Chapter 134
“You call me an absolute killer, which is certainly true,” the Grasshopper said. “but above all, I see myself as the only honest killer. I have removed from my face the masks of all of their excuses and I didn’t put on a new one. I have announced the end of the masquerade and asked the courtiers to leave. My honesty and the chance circumstance that I remained alone and untouchable at this command desk have made me the absolute killer.”