Chapter VI

Chapter VI

They say Vienna was most beautiful in May. That was also Konstantin’s impression the first time he visited here. That’s when nature is at its best and the buildings of the “old city” stand out. Besides its old part, Vienna also has suburbs which are part of the new city. Inside the old city are the double ramparts on which, seven summers ago, Emperor Joseph II arranged the “Bashtain” gardens with promenades. (Bashtain from “bastion”, semicircular parts of the fortress, rearranged by Joseph II into flower gardens.) At their foot is “Gletsis” - a circular space over a kilometre wide. This space is covered by grass and flowers with rows of trees, lanterns and paths leading to the new city, which was as large as a dozen “old cities”.

Inside, behind the ramparts, are the marvelous palaces “Teutonic Knights”, “Archbishopric”, “Lobkovits”, “Frizova”, and the winter “Schwarzenberg” and “Liechtenstein”. On the east side is the city Presburg which at that time was called Bratislava, until ten years ago it was the seat of the Hungarian kingdom. Presburg and Vienna are connected through a plain which extends to the south. To the southwest are hills with dilapidated houses, to the west are elevations and behind them are large massifs. To the northwest flows the mighty Danube River in which there are islands and small lakes.

Konstantin was dazzled by the grandeur of the palaces which he very much admired. But as the days went by and he became familiar with the old city, his admiration began to wane. The streets were intertwined and full of coachs, porters and passers-by. They added more congestion to the already congested streets of pedestrians traveling to their destination. The old ramparts simply didn’t have the space to accommodate all that traffic. The upgrades to the city made things worse as they took more space from the streets making them narrower. There was also a heavy mix of all kinds of

suffocating smells that made breathing hard especially on the lower floors. Apart from the houses, there were also inns, warehouses, pharmacies, cafeterias, butchers, stables and so on. On those pre-holiday days when livestock was slaughtered, unwashed skins were scattered on the walls, smelly meat was hung on hooks and blood and waste was dumped into the stagnating, open sewers. This made basements, rooms below street level and the first floor of buildings unattractive for residence. On top of that there was dust on the streets, not to mention the endless noises made by people loudly chattering, the rolling of coachs, the trotting of horses, as well as the knocking of hammers on anvils. The most expensive places to rent were the second floor apartments. It was true that the higher floors were cooler and less noisy but were harder to supply with firewood, furniture, water and food. As a result they were cheaper to rent. There were also apartments called royal property which was given to officials as part of their salary.

The biggest whirlpool in the old city was central “Graben” square. In the middle of it was a large base under a small fountain with sculptures sitting on it. Today that fountain was visited by Konstantin and the merchant Adam Four who stopped for a look.

“I didn’t tell you about Holy Trinity (Sveta Troitsa) with the runners for your book,” said the merchant.

“It was beautifully made, what else can be said?”

“It’s like a person from birth to old age. Leopold I built the “Holy Trinity” church a century ago to honour the people of Vienna who kept dying of a plague for weeks. After the emperor decided to build the church the plague subsided so at the end of the summer he stopped its construction. Then a new plague was brought in by the army returning from Rumely; from down south.

“Did the army bring the plague from our country?”

“Yes, it did when Duke Holstein and General Piccolomini drove the Turks out of Rumeli. Leopold summoned all the Christian people under Istanbul (Ottoman rule) to rise up against the Ottomans. Led by a certain Petar Karposh, the Macedonian people joined the

insurrection. The insurgents took up positions along the Vardar and Bregalnitsa Rivers while Karposh established his headquarters in Kumanovo. Leopold recognized Karposh as king and was blessed by the bishop of Bitola. Unfortunately that didn’t sit well with the Ottomans who had brought the plague from Egypt in clothes with aims at devastating the rebels. The Ottomans also brought elite Tatar fighters from Bulgaria to suppress the uprising. After the Tatars captured Karposh they killed him in Skopje. The city was later recaptured by Piccolomini who, because of the plague, set fire to all the soldiers who had contracted it. On his way back, Piccolomini also died from the plague. Vienna was spared because the authorities didn’t allow any sick soldiers to enter it. In other words, the plague didn’t infect the people in Vienna. Reminded of the previous plague, the emperor decided to fulfill his earlier pledge and finished building the ‘Holy Trinity’ Church. And there it was a testament to a time when it was the only hope against the plague.”

“I passed by it unaware that even a stone had a story to tell.”

“Haven’t you been in other cities of this kingdom? From that time on, the ‘Holy Trinity’ Church was raised by other cities to protect them from the plague coming back.”

Konstantin waved his hand slightly seeming like he saw something and wanted to ask a question but he didn’t. They took a passageway from the street that led from Graben through a bend to the northeast, and further towards the Danube. There were many people there. According to the city government, two summers ago Vienna had more than two hundred thousand inhabitants. It’s 1792 now and who knows how much more it has grown. More and more immigrants came here every year. The suburbs were full, and the old town was like a dream for them. The local artisans who worked in the suburbs couldn’t wait to open up their shops in the old city. They would consider themselves successful if they could work in the old town for even a summer. Immigrants who succeeded in opening their first shop in the suburbs always looked forward to moving to the old city. As a result the old city was in need of servants, cooks, horsemen, street vendors… All these services came from the suburbs. Unfortunately not everyone in the old city was successful. The road that Konstantine and Adam took leading from Beckershtrasse Street

to the Church of the Holy Trinity, close to the Danube River, brought them to a neighbourhood where successful Orthodox Serbs, Greeks, Vlachs, Bulgarians and Macedonians lived. But their sense of nationality was intertwined with their faith since Pech and Ohrid had been without an autocephaly. Many referred to themselves as “Greeks” even though they belonged to other nations.

“Ah you’re here... Have you brought the text?” Adam’s brother Dimitri asked Konstanin as soon as they entered his shop. Dimitri was sitting comfortably behind the big table and, with some difficulty, stood up to shake hands.

“Here it is, ready to be published Uncle Dimitri,” said Konstantine, handing him a bundle of papers at which Dimitri looked at intently. The title “Robinson the Younger” was written at the top, a topic well-known to him in its original meaning, but he also knew that this was a reworked version written by another author before him. With help from his brothers the 20-year-old Konstatin published his novel entitled “Robinson the Younger”. Konstantin was inspired by the works of German author Joachim Kempe who had written a book with a similar title. Ever since Kostantin read it, he felt no peace until he could write his own version. Now the moment had come for him to publish it. Kempe too had reworked the novel “Robinson Crusoe” written by the Englishman Daniel Defoe, released seventy years ago. Kempe changed it so that everyone could read it. The younger people were especially impressed. Konstantin, on the other hand, was well aware that this new kind of thinking would destroy the rooted and heartless writings. Educated and well versed in languages as well as having access to high circles, he devised a plan. He figured its publication would bring him gains especially in the countries where the book was not available. Up to now the book had not been published in other languages except in English and German. He figured he’d not only make money from its sales but also gain fame and make connections.

“Sit down, let’s see what you have done and let’s have a conversation in our language (Macedonian)... I ordered coffee for myself, should I order some for you?” asked Dimitri cordially, offering Konstantin a chair to sit at the table while Adam sat on another chair.

“Yes, thank you,” said Konstantin and sat down.

Dimitri yelled at the man in the back of the store and ordered coffee. He then began to flip through the loose pages of the book. He liked what he read. Kostantin was a sweet talker and used that kind of language even when he wasn’t selling something. The young man was also a compatriot. Dimitri liked to listen to him speak in their native language like they had in their vilayet. Dimitri and Adam were from Sachistsa, a village located somewhat southeast of Kostur Region, and more in Kozhani Region.

The brothers had come to Vienna a long time ago and managed to start up a business in trade. Dimitri joined the “Holy Trinity” Church board of directors and made regular contributions for six or seven summers. He and Adam subscribed to all church publications and various scholastic books. Dimitri was also up to date on guild regulations. When the city services dragged their feet five summers ago on issuing some permits, Dimitri and twenty other traders wrote to the emperor and complained. Dimitri brought his son Jovan into his business and took him to trade throughout the kingdom. Dimitri pursued the large trade by outwitting powerful buyers, and his brother Adam looked after the smaller things and everyday customers. Their nickname “Four”, which became their last name, they got from their father Konstantin who, with the rare will of God, was born a twin in a family that had two sets of twins.

“You should publish it in our language with our Slavonic alphabet!” said Adam anxiously.

“Those were my first thoughts too. But, unfortunately, the Slavonic alphabet is rarely used now. The Greek alphabet and language were introduced thirty summers ago when the Phanar began to rule our church. The Greek alphabet and language are now rooted throughout the whole of Rumeli including Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova and Walachia. I had to write my book in a language that is read.”

“Forget the written language, we still speak our language!”

“Yes, our people and others who speak the Slavonic languages could buy a book but could they read it? That’s another story. The Russians are another people who could understand Slavonic but they are ashamed of it, of the letters and the language. Their nobles, who would buy such works, read, write and speak French. They are educated in the French language. It’s true, the Russian church is not under Phanariot rule and uses the Slavonic alphabet and language for its services, but it doesn’t tolerate or publish books that contradict its dogma. I have thought of everything, and it led me to this conclusion.”

“You’re right. Why take unnecessary risks? In trade profit comes first,” said Dimitri, who until then was immersed in the pages of the text.

“We are giving up our birthright for profit!” grumbled Adam.

“Our birthright can only be protected from a higher position. Those at the bottom are invisible, let alone influential. Were it not for my uncle’s positions, would my brother and I have come here? Would we have attended school? Would he have become a judge and everything else…? How would I have reached my position? These positions required sacrifices to power which doesn’t matter how it came to be. Both my uncle and my brother sacrificed something, now I too have to do it with my text. But on the cover I have put my native Linotopi and our Macedonia. Help me finish this and I assure you, I will get to the point where I will not only raise our birthright out of the darkness but Vienna and the emperor will be humbled!” concluded Konstantin looking inflamed.

Adam and Dimitri were shocked. Everything was going well, but the things the young man said were contrary to common sense! His arrogance surpassed the emperors and the city from which he expected to be worshiped?

“You haven’t yet felt the power of this kingdom. We have been here a long time and have seen many things. We have even moved up in society. You are here for the first time and you say the power will bow to you?! ... That takes the cake!” said Dimitri with a worried look because of Konstantine’s youthful recklessness. On the other

hand the young man had determination and there would be no limits for him. Dimitri continued:

“It’s true, you have been educated by good teachers and you have hung around noble children at the Academy and so you’ve gained self-confidence. Your uncle the Bishop opened the way for you and you have progressed further than all foreigners in knowing languages! We have barely mastered German. You, on the other hand, speak and write in Latin and Greek. This leads upwards but you need to be careful because it’s no good saying things like that elsewhere.”

“The refugees’ journey, moving to a new city and country, sharpened their urge to adapt. It opened their mind to foreign languages, habits and stretched out hands. We are hardworking and patient refugees. The people here, on the other hand, are enslaved by a nobility that has centuries of idleness and clumsiness and has become stupid. They will fall and humble themselves to someone else’s mind and money.”

“They will fall? ...And whose mind will they humble themselves to? Ours?”

“Didn’t your hard work and minds elevate you to traders and others to goldsmiths and manufacturers?! ...You are now a new layer of bourgeoisie like the one in power in France. The useless nobility there failed even though it didn’t pay any taxes. Yes, with arms, but here it will fall without any weapons.

Both brothers fell silent. Adam, who first started this controversial conversation, didn’t say anything more but was very interested in what he heard. Also, it became clear to Dimitri that Konstantin and his brother were doing something new. In Walachia Stefan had gained a lot of wealth within nineteen summers and became a judge in the twentieth! Dimitri and Adam, on the other hand, were old-fashioned settlers who cared for every grosh (penny), miserably trying to do better so that they could accumulate some money for their retirement when the fiftieth summer of their lives approached. They spent many years living in small quarters with their countrymen cooking, sewing, washing their clothes, cutting their

hair and looking after one another to save money. It took the brothers a long time to save enough to go out on their own, barely daring to move to the old city. They felt like intruders for a long time. Every time they encountered a stranger they looked into his eyes and in their eyes they read undesirability. When they started earning more money they went to concerts and other entertaining events which they began to embrace. That was many summers after they got here. But this young man (Konstantin) was immediately accepted right before their eyes, and this was his first time here. At twenty years old he acted and looked like a baron’s son, moving forward, living his life and climbing to the top. He had mastered everything he needed. He conducted himself like the local nobles, officials and merchants. He went to a special barber, rented a tidy room, ate in an inn and paid a special service to wash and iron his clothes. He had polished himself to perfection which seemed like he was born that way. His hair and skin were spotless, his face and hands smooth, and he had the elegance of an emperor. When he walked the streets with the brothers they could see that he commanded much more respect than them in the eyes of the same people. The way he walked on the cobblestones with equal steps in line with his raised head avoiding looking at people passing him by, made the passer’s by stare or bow to him like he had some special status. Not only was he not moving away from those going the other way but it seemed like he wasn’t even aware of their existence. The striking and beautiful clothes he wore confirmed the saying ‘beautiful clothes impress’. Even when he walked on the street he caught everyone’s eye. And no matter how much you stared at him, you would never admit that he was a foreigner. Even the brothers sometimes thought he was a local nobleman. They realized that they needed to support this young man; he was going to be very influential and wouldn’t only help them but also all the other compatriots. At the same time he needed to be made beware of his insolence, so Dimitri started with a lesson:

“There was once a young man in the city with a beautiful and talented mind. He had a good attitude and education just like you. Not only did the emperor and all of Vienna worship him but who knows how many kings and cities wanted him! The world bowed down to him - Paris, London, Munich, The Hague, Prague, Zurich... They greeted him with money and made him a noble by name. I

remember he was with the “Knight of the Golden Spider”, as well as with the Masons. But he died last December, not even half a summer ago. He was thrown into a grave like a vagrant with twenty beggars, murderers and prostitutes, next to the western wall of the “St. Marx” cemetery. Barely ten people attended his funeral at the “Stubentor” wall where he was buried. Snow, hail and cold weather prevented them from going. The coach drivers carried his coffin to the grave because there were no pallbearers. He wasn’t even buried with the poor, and this was because he had only eight gold coins of which three were used to pay for the coach. He left a twenty-eight-year-old woman with two children penniless and in misery.

“You’re talking about the great maestro Mozart, right?”

“Yes, I’m talking about him. He was so ‘great’ that Vienna and his nation did nothing for him. They didn’t even give him a worthy funeral; which made me very sad. He lived nearby. People spotted him go in and out of the “St. Stephen” Cathedral. You could even meet him on the streets. I went to his concerts and found out that he was mute. Two months before his death he performed ‘The Wonder Flute’. He took to the stage with the theater orchestra in a red tailcoat, black silk trousers, long white socks and shoes with silver buttons. He looked pale and weathered. He started to play casually from the second act bringing the audience to euphoria. He ended the performance to applause and shouts of admiration. The next day all of Vienna was talking about him and sang verses from his works in the inns... All this ended when he died.”

Dimitri paused for a moment. It felt like he was going to continue with another lesson, which came to him a short time later:

“Why am I telling you all this? Because you touched our hearts! We’re thrilled to see one of us publish works in these summers. We are ecstatic about your confidence and not being afraid of anything. You will go far and you can count on us to support you when you need it. But as an elder I need to tell you to be careful. To ‘Watch out’! Today you’re at the bottom and you’re a little reckless. Let Mozart’s fate be your best lesson.

“I will watch out and I am grateful for the lessons. You need not worry about me. Mozart had recklessness and weaknesses that brought him to the bottom. I guard myself against that. The weakest thing about him was working with money which is my strongest point. And because I know how to work with money I will become a banker. I know that when you do things right, even though people may not know it right away, in time they will come around. They say that Mozart became even more famous posthumously because people continued to honour him.”

And as the three continued with their long conversation, fog began to descend over Vienna and the Danube River, enveloping everything. The weather was cloudy, a sign of spring rain to come. Over time the fog thickened and became one with the clouds, so that everything was thick with water vapour. Then came the cold air followed by light rain. After that came waves of torrential rain which laid siege to the great city on the Danube, so that nothing could be seen through the mist, the dark clouds and the torrential rain; nothing, except for the spikes on top of the cathedral which were illuminated by lightning coming down from the sky. This continued for a long time…