Rudolph’s.
Rudolph’s bag was on the bed, and he went to open it, and then stopped himself. It felt entirely wrong to search Rudolph’s possessions. And anyway, it wouldn’t be in here. If Goertz has taken it, he wouldn’t put it back in Rudolph’s bag. That means he’s either got it on his person, in which case I’m sunk, or…
He looked around the room and spotted Goertz’s battered saddlebag propped up against the wall. He felt no compunction about searching Goertz’s bag. With deft fingers he worked his way through the bag, trying as best as he could to leave things as they were. Goertz, like any batman, was obsessively tidy and would easily notice anything out of place.
It wasn’t among his papers and not tucked away in his spare boots. Mathias was sure, then, that the man had the picture with him—it was the safest place, after all—but as he was about to give up, his fingers grazed something against the lining of the bag. There was an envelope hidden in a small rip in the leather, and he pulled it out. Success . There in the envelope lay his own likeness, artfully naked for all the world to see—or at least for Rudolph and Goertz to see, which for Mathias was one person too many.
As he pulled the daguerreotype from the envelope and stuffed it into his pocket, relieved to have it back, a second, smaller image dropped out onto the floor. Mathias picked it up, intending to place it back immediately, but stopped at the sight of an extremely handsome young man, fully clothed, with dark hair and eyes that only had one message, and that was “come to bed.”
Mathias raised his eyebrows. Who was this? Oh God, surely not Goertz’s fancy piece? The thought stunned him for a moment. He wasn’t sure of Goertz’s preferences, had really not wanted to know, in fact—just the thought of the surly, scarred man naked in bed with anyone was enough to put one off one’s own stroke, as it were—but now he came to think of it, he’d never seen Goertz with anyone, male or female. And it made sense that a man who trusted his secrets to his batman was more likely to trust them to a batman with the same tastes, when it came down to it.
But…Mathias stared openmouthed at the extremely handsome man in the picture. He turned the picture over. With love, Ernst was written on the back in faded ink. He turned to look at the likeness again. What on earth did Goertz have to attract such a beauty as this?
Mathias gave an involuntary snort of laughter. “Well, it certainly isn’t looks or money,” he said quietly, putting the picture back where he’d found it. “So you must have something else the pretty boys like. Well, well, well. Goertz, you do surprise me. It’s true that it’s the quiet ones you have to look out for, and no mistake.”
Still with a smile on his face he hurried to put things back where he found them and made his way downstairs, not forgetting to take his wallet with him. He wished he could share what he’d found with Rudolph, for he doubted that his friend knew about Goertz’s pretty boy. No doubt Rudolph would find it as amusing as he did, but he decided to keep Goertz’s secret. Perhaps that will make him think a little more kindly of me, when he finds out that I’ve not only taken my picture back but have seen his too . He made a mental note, however, never to look at Goertz’s groin. Whatever monster he had lurking there, Mathias really didn’t want to know.
He was therefore the picture of innocence when Goertz returned. Luckily, the batman told them, there was a stock train passing that evening and he and the horses had been booked onto it. So by the time Mathias and Rudolph settled down for a comfortable dinner in the hotel, Goertz and the six horses were already on their way north, and Mathias felt a lot happier with the man absent.
“How long since you were in Berlin, Hofmann?” Rudolph asked over the port.
“I was never there. I told you last night, remember?” The words
Rudolph’s bag was on the bed, and he went to open it, and then stopped himself. It felt entirely wrong to search Rudolph’s possessions. And anyway, it wouldn’t be in here. If Goertz has taken it, he wouldn’t put it back in Rudolph’s bag. That means he’s either got it on his person, in which case I’m sunk, or…
He looked around the room and spotted Goertz’s battered saddlebag propped up against the wall. He felt no compunction about searching Goertz’s bag. With deft fingers he worked his way through the bag, trying as best as he could to leave things as they were. Goertz, like any batman, was obsessively tidy and would easily notice anything out of place.
It wasn’t among his papers and not tucked away in his spare boots. Mathias was sure, then, that the man had the picture with him—it was the safest place, after all—but as he was about to give up, his fingers grazed something against the lining of the bag. There was an envelope hidden in a small rip in the leather, and he pulled it out. Success . There in the envelope lay his own likeness, artfully naked for all the world to see—or at least for Rudolph and Goertz to see, which for Mathias was one person too many.
As he pulled the daguerreotype from the envelope and stuffed it into his pocket, relieved to have it back, a second, smaller image dropped out onto the floor. Mathias picked it up, intending to place it back immediately, but stopped at the sight of an extremely handsome young man, fully clothed, with dark hair and eyes that only had one message, and that was “come to bed.”
Mathias raised his eyebrows. Who was this? Oh God, surely not Goertz’s fancy piece? The thought stunned him for a moment. He wasn’t sure of Goertz’s preferences, had really not wanted to know, in fact—just the thought of the surly, scarred man naked in bed with anyone was enough to put one off one’s own stroke, as it were—but now he came to think of it, he’d never seen Goertz with anyone, male or female. And it made sense that a man who trusted his secrets to his batman was more likely to trust them to a batman with the same tastes, when it came down to it.
But…Mathias stared openmouthed at the extremely handsome man in the picture. He turned the picture over. With love, Ernst was written on the back in faded ink. He turned to look at the likeness again. What on earth did Goertz have to attract such a beauty as this?
Mathias gave an involuntary snort of laughter. “Well, it certainly isn’t looks or money,” he said quietly, putting the picture back where he’d found it. “So you must have something else the pretty boys like. Well, well, well. Goertz, you do surprise me. It’s true that it’s the quiet ones you have to look out for, and no mistake.”
Still with a smile on his face he hurried to put things back where he found them and made his way downstairs, not forgetting to take his wallet with him. He wished he could share what he’d found with Rudolph, for he doubted that his friend knew about Goertz’s pretty boy. No doubt Rudolph would find it as amusing as he did, but he decided to keep Goertz’s secret. Perhaps that will make him think a little more kindly of me, when he finds out that I’ve not only taken my picture back but have seen his too . He made a mental note, however, never to look at Goertz’s groin. Whatever monster he had lurking there, Mathias really didn’t want to know.
He was therefore the picture of innocence when Goertz returned. Luckily, the batman told them, there was a stock train passing that evening and he and the horses had been booked onto it. So by the time Mathias and Rudolph settled down for a comfortable dinner in the hotel, Goertz and the six horses were already on their way north, and Mathias felt a lot happier with the man absent.
“How long since you were in Berlin, Hofmann?” Rudolph asked over the port.
“I was never there. I told you last night, remember?” The words
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