Piranesi(39)

Perhaps I was indeed in an altered state of consciousness when I wrote them? I find this theory persuasive, but it leaves several questions unanswered. What did I do to achieve this altered state? And why, when I have always thought of Myself as a scientist, did I begin this practice in the first place?

There will be a Great Flood

ENTRY FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY OF THE NINTH MONTH IN THE YEAR THE ALBATROSS CAME TO THE SOUTH-WESTERN HALLS

One of my regular tasks is to maintain a Table of Tides. In order to do this I rely on my observations and on a set of equations that I have invented. Every few months I perform my calculations and make sure that there are no Extraordinary Occurrences in the coming weeks. I have been so occupied recently that I have rather neglected this work. This morning I sat down to apply Myself to it and immediately discovered something Highly Alarming – a Conjunction of Four Tides in less than a week’s time!

I was shocked to think how close I had come to missing this event altogether! My last set of calculations were for a period that ended more than two weeks ago. I had neglected my duties and put Myself and the Other in mortal danger!

In my agitation I leapt up and walked rapidly up and down the Hall. Oh, fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I muttered to Myself. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! After a minute or two of walking uselessly to and fro, I spoke to Myself sternly, telling Myself that it was no good bewailing the Past; what was needed now was to plan for the Future.

I sat down again and set Myself to doing further calculations in order to understand more accurately what was likely to happen. Depending on the Force and Volume of the Waters – which are difficult to predict with exactness – between forty and a hundred Halls will be flooded.

Fortunately today was a Friday, one of the days when I have my regular meetings with the Other. I arrived in the Second South-Western Hall almost half an hour early, so anxious was I to speak with him.

The moment he appeared I said, ‘I have something to tell you.’

He frowned and opened his mouth to protest; he does not like me to take charge of the meeting but on this occasion I overrode him. ‘There will be a Great Flood!’ I declared. ‘If we do not prepare ourselves properly, there is a very real danger that we will be swept away and drowned.’

Immediately he was all attention. ‘Drowned? When?’

‘In six days’ time. On Thursday. The Flood will begin to rise approximately half an hour before midday. A High Tide from the Eastern Halls will be followed by …’

‘Thursday?’ He relaxed again. ‘Oh, that’s OK. I won’t be here on Thursday.’

‘Where will you be?’ I asked, surprised.

‘Somewhere else,’ he said. ‘It’s not important. Don’t worry about it.’

‘Oh, I see,’ I said. ‘Well, that is good. The Flood will be centred around a point 0.8 kilometres to the North-West of the First Vestibule. It is vital that you are out of the Path of the Waters.’

‘I’ll be fine,’ said the Other. ‘Will you be OK?’

‘Oh, yes,’ I said. ‘Thanks for asking. I shall walk to the Southern Halls.’

‘That’s good.’

‘That only leaves 16,’ I said without thinking. ‘I need to …’ I stopped. ‘That is …’ I began and stopped again.

There was a pause.

‘What?’ said the Other, sharply. ‘What are you talking about? What’s any of this got to do with 16?’

‘I only mean that 16 is not a native of these Halls,’ I said. ‘She will not know that a Great Flood is coming.’

‘No, I suppose not. So what?’

‘I do not want her to drown,’ I said.

‘Trust me, Piranesi. That would solve all sorts of problems. But, in any case, it doesn’t really matter one way or the other. You’ve no way of getting in contact with 16 and so you couldn’t warn her even if you wanted to.’

There was a silence.

‘That’s right, isn’t it?’ said the Other. ‘You haven’t spoken to her?’ He gave me a sharp, appraising look.

‘I have not,’ I said.

‘Not now? Not in the past?’

‘Not now. Not in the past.’

‘Well, there you are then. Whatever happens it’s not your responsibility. I wouldn’t worry about it.’

Another pause.

‘Well,’ said the Other at last. ‘I expect you’ve got things to do.’

‘Many things to do.’

‘Preparing for this inundation and so forth.’

‘Oh, yes.’

‘Well, I’ll leave you to it then.’ He turned and walked towards the First Vestibule.

‘Goodbye,’ I called. ‘Goodbye!’

ARE YOU MATTHEW ROSE SORENSEN?

SECOND ENTRY FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY OF THE NINTH MONTH IN THE YEAR THE ALBATROSS CAME TO THE SOUTH-WESTERN HALLS

My course of action was clear. I must go immediately to the Sixth North-Western Hall and write a message to 16 warning her of the coming Flood!

As I walked I thought about the last message I had left her – the one begging her to leave these Halls. Perhaps in the intervening time she had replied. Perhaps the reply would be something like:

Dear Piranesi

You are right. Today I will return to my own Halls.