Also available here
1. I Do Fit In Archie and Moti welcomed us back. To my surprise, Archie stepped forward, shook my hand fervently, and exclaimed: “I sure missed you, Peter’le!” “How come?” “You see, originally this haven was created for Moti and me. We welcomed Tiger when he came for a visit and, in due course, asked him to join us. He became and has remained a loyal member of our selective clan.” ...
(ca. 1155/1166 - 1227) 1. Genghis Rise to Power I was satisfied that Genghis left a mark on humanity. Having unified the warring Mongolian tribes, he beat the Tatars and then proceeded to conquer the North of China. There could be no doubt about his brutality and cruelty. These, though, were inflicted on his enemies. His own mighty horsemen were treated by him with consideration. Unlike Napoleon he spared his troops. Thus, when he broke through the Great Wall he thought it best not to storm it. Instead, he waited patiently until one of the defenders was bribed and opened a gate to him. Genghis demolished part of the wall, paid the agreed bribe to the defector and then had him killed because traitors were despicable. ...
1. Assessment of Last Encounter Tiger and Moti welcomed us back. They listened eagerly to our account. When we finished, Tiger said that he felt no admiration for Genghis. Moti nodded and observed that fame based on slaughter was akin to notoriety. Still, both of them accepted the greatness of Genghis’ tactics and resolution. They also respected his perseverance. “If a deer chased by a tiger eludes him or runs too fast, he gives up. He does not pursue a risky chase. Genghis did that when he set to cross the Pamir Mountain before familiarising himself with all available routes.” ...
(1809 - 1882) 1. Calling on Darwin Archie and I surfaced in 1878. Darwin, who was having an afternoon nap, looked at us with surprise. “How on earth did you come to my room? I did not hear any knocking. And these strange clothes. From where are you?” “Neither of us is alive. You see our ghosts. This here is Archimedes Man of Syracuse. I am sure his name in known to you.” ...
1. Archie’s Analysis of Evolution Archie and I were teletransported back to our ward on a slow moving beacon. On our way, Archie looked at me thoughtfully. “Peter’le, why did Darwin and you keep addressing each other by surnames? Why didn’t he call you Peter or Peter’le?” “Society was formal in his era. Using a proper name when addressing a person would imply superiority or familiarity. Darwin and I addressed one another as equals. I fell in line with the etiquette of his day.” ...
1. The Panel Refers to Fortuna Next morning Theophil summoned me to the second hearing of the panel. To ensure I felt comfortable, Theophil assumed the form of an old friend of my London days, Peppi Stölzl, who had been my late father’s bosom pal in Vienna. Gabriel, too, assumed a new form, which I associated with Maimonides. The Almighty retained his original guise. “Well, what do you think of my performance,” I asked with trepidation. Somehow – quite regardless of the verdict – I felt the need of gaining their approval. ...
1. How to Carry On My three comrades greeted me warmly: “We feared you may be sent elsewhere,” said Archie. “In truth, your home is here.” “I am delighted to be back,” I confirmed. I then went on and told them all about the hearing. “So now they want you to select a prodigy of the 20th century,” said Archie. “Well, I have read the materials given to me by Lord Pan. The 20th century is marked by a number of outstanding personalities; and you have to pinpoint one of them. To start with, you can divide the candidates into two groups: those you admire and those you detest.” ...
(1867 – 1934) 1. Getting Ready for Visiting Marie Curie I decided to visit Marie Curie in April 1934 (a year after my birth). By then, Marie Curie had earned all her medals and honours and also knew she was a very sick woman. In the case of other punchees, I appeared accompanied by one of my ward-friends and actually did not change my attire. On this occasion, Archie was not keen to accompany me and both Moti and Tiger declined. Tiger felt that I did not need protection and Moti decided to stay behind with Archie. ...
1. Back in My Haven Archie, Tiger and Moti were pleased to see me back. To my surprise Theophil remained with us. “Why did you spirit me away, Maestro?” “What else did you want to ask her?” “Actually, I was done. Still, she is bound to know that my appearance was not a hallucination. She has the flowers.” “They, too, vanished. And the vase is back in the place in which she used to keep it.” ...