Hanns Heinz Ewers Alraune by Joe Bandel Page B

against it.”
    “Yes, it is a splendid idea,” Frank Braun
confirmed. “It is well that you can recognize the capacity of your
superior.”
    Then Dr. Petersen reported how his Excellency
had made several attempts in Cologne with his help. Unfortunately
they had not had any success in finding an appropriate female. It
turned out that these creatures in this class of the population had
very different ideas about having to endure artificial
insemination. It was nearly impossible to talk to them about it at
all, much less persuade one to actually do it. It didn’t matter how
eloquent his Excellency spoke or how hard he tried to make them
understand that it would not be dangerous at all; that they would
earn a nice piece of money and be doing the scientific community a
great service. One had screamed loudly that she would rather
service the entire scientific community–and made a very rude
gesture.
    “Pfui!” Frank Braun said. “If only she
could!”
    It was a very good thing that his Excellency
had the opportunity to travel to Berlin for the Gynecological
Conference. Here in the metropolis there would no doubt be a much
wider selection to choose from. The women in question would not be
as stupid as in the province, would have less superstitious fear of
the new and be more open and practical regarding the money they
could make and the important service they could provide to the
advancement of science.
    “Especially the last!” Frank Braun
emphasized.
    Dr. Petersen obliged him with:
    “It is unbelievable how old fashioned their
ideas are in Cologne! Every Guinea pig, yes, even every monkey is
infinitely more insightful and reasonable than those females. I
almost lost my faith in the towering intellect of humanity. I hope
that here I can regain that shaken belief and make it solid once
more.”
    “There is no doubt about it,” the attorney
encouraged him. “It would be a real shame indeed if Berlin’s
prostitutes couldn’t do any better than Guinea-pigs and
monkeys!
    By the way, when is my uncle coming? Is he up
already?”
    “Oh, he’s been up for a long time now,”
declared the assistant doctor zealously. “His Excellency left
immediately. He had a ten o’clock audience at the Ministry.”
    “And after that?” Frank Braun asked.
    “I don’t know how long it will last,”
reasoned Doctor Petersen. “In any case his Excellency requested I
wait for him in the auditorium at two o’clock. Then at five o’clock
his Excellency has another important meeting with a Berlin
colleague here in the hotel and around seven his Excellency is
invited to eat with the university president.
    Herr Doctor, perhaps you could meet in
between–”
    Frank Braun considered. Basically he was in
favor of his uncle being occupied the entire day. Then his uncle
wouldn’t be around to interfere with his day.
    I want you to deliver a message to my uncle,”
he said. “Tell him we will meet up downstairs in the hotel around
eleven o’clock.”
    “Around eleven o’clock?” The assistant doctor
made a somewhat dubious face. “Isn’t that a little late? His
Excellency is in the habit of going to bed around that time and
after such a strenuous day.”
    “His Excellency must exert himself a little
bit longer today doctor.” Frank Braun decided. “Deliver the
message. The hour is certainly not too late for our purpose. It’s
almost too early–In fact, it would be better if it were twelve
o’clock instead–That way if poor uncle is too tired he can rest a
bit ahead of time. Goodbye Doctor–until this evening.”
    He stood up, nodded curtly and left. He bit
his teeth together, feeling at the same moment as his lips closed
just how childish, how much of a mad mess it all was. He was almost
ashamed of how he had treated the good doctor, how small he had
been, how cheap his joke was. All of his nerves and sinews screamed
for action–and instead he let his thistle headed brain scatter in a
thousand directions–while he played