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.”

“Why?” I wanted to know.

“As you know,” explained Theophil. “Her appointed day is close. My object was not to disturb events. Remember, I am not an interventionist. Also, this way she might think it had been a pleasant dream.”

“In reality, Lord Pan, you are humane,” observed Tiger.

“Wrong adjective or, in the language of computer technology: ‘verb confusion’. You see, I am not cruel, greedy, vain or condescending.”

“I see,” noted Tiger. “Still, you do have a sense of humour.”

“I might have picked it up from mixing with humanity,” retorted Theophil dryly.

“Or perhaps humanity picked it up from you!” opined Moti. Noting that Theophil and the three of us grinned supportively, he rose on his hind legs and trumpeted victoriously.

“Also, if I like a human being,” explained Theophil, “I try on occasions to do, by non-intervention, a kind act. For instance, I wanted Marie Curie to believe she had experienced a rewarding mirage.” After a pause, he added: “In any event, Peter’le: your final meeting with the panel is now due.”

“I might as well change back into my comfortable clothes.”

“You better keep your attire. I am certain that He would approve of your working uniform.”

2. Discussion with the Panel

The panel looked more welcoming than on previous occasions. For a while, I stared at Gabriel.

“You look like my teacher in Tichon (my secondary school); but Dr. Frank died years ago.”

“So he did, but then, today I set out to comfort you; and I want to make a point. Please tell us, did you like your Dr. Frank? Hasn’t his influence over you lasted for decades?”

“Didn’t it ever? I was impressed by his brilliant analysis of The Book of Job. I get engrossed in it at least twice a year; and, actually, I read passages of the Old Testament every evening. Further, Dr. Frank drew my attention to the differences in vocabulary between chapters 38 to 41 [God’s reply ‘out of the storm’] and the magnificent poetry of chapters 3 to 31. He opened my eyes,”

“Well, Eli,” said Gabriel, using my Hebrew name, “don’t you think that some or perhaps even most of the persons you selected were subject to an influence of this type, an influence which might have been exerted by another, occasionally undistinguished individual?”

“This may very well be so. Livia Augusta might have taken her inspiration from studying Cleopatra’s life: she grasped that often a kingdom is governed by the ruler’s consort. Similarly, Darwin’s trend of thought might have been triggered when he read Malthus.”

“Precisely,” replied Gabriel. “Occasionally, a common soul may make a remark or discuss an issue which strikes a chord in the mind of another person, who becomes a celebrity.”

“I accept your conclusion, Gabriel. Further, I wonder if the role of an individual is simply to come up with a theory or a thought that is timely. In other words, suppose Darwin had not pinpointed natural selection. Presumably, another person, for instance Wallace, might have postulated it in due course.”

“What are you telling us, Peter’le?” asked He himself.

“I am inclined to think that development is a trend based on historical processes. The individual’s role is limited. He (or she) must be the right person at the appropriate time.”

“I see,” He said supportively; “but suppose the right person does not appear on time? Could a major development be delayed or simply fail to materialise altogether?”

“It could definitely be postponed. For instance, if Marcus Aurelius had nominated a worthy successor, the final decline of the Western Roman Empire might have been delayed for years.”

“How about an entire change?” He wanted to know.

“I suspect that if Genghis Khan had been killed before he united the tribes, the onset of the Black Death might have precluded the rise of a Mongol Empire. Similarly, if Vladimir Lenin had not had his stroke, Stalin might not have been able to seize power. It is difficult to predict the course of the 20th century in such a scenario.”

“Do you then think that your search was futile?” asked Gabriel.

“I don’t. My task was to identify the major contributors. I did my best but, in the process, realised that luck has played a major role: luck and perhaps the common human tendency to resist change or novel ideas. I do believe that the emergence of the right individual at the appropriate time has played a major role in mankind’s history.”

“We are inclined to agree,” said He Himself. “All in all, you applied yourself in a commendable manner. At the same time, your approach underwent a change when you reviewed the 20th century and – to a lesser extent – the 19th century. In the original stages of selection, you tended to be cool and distant. You were guided solely by your mind. When you set out to select a nominee of the 19th and 20th centuries, you were also guided by emotions. Why is that, Peter’le?”

“The reason is plain, God Almighty. I am a man of the 20th century. Many events that took place during it, or the preceding century, had a direct bearing on me. By way of illustration, take the battle of Stalingrad. When Nazi Germany was defeated in 1942, I was already nine years of age. I knew that the Nazi’s failure to take the city was an important and, to me, a positive development. Similarly, when Rommel took a beating in El Alamain, I knew that our community in Palestine was saved. If General Montgomery had lost, the Jewish population – the Yishuv – would have been deported to the extermination camps. Is it then a wonder that my emotions were roused and – perhaps – prevailed? All in all, I was, despite all efforts, unable to suppress emotive drives.”

“We understand,” said Gabriel. “In a sense, your outlook led to a transformation of our ordinary proceedings. Usually, Theo acts as prosecutor (or ‘devil’s advocate’) and I assume the role of counsel for the defence. In view of your close relationship with Theo we decided to reverse the roles. In the end, though, you won me over.”

“How?”

“By giving vent to your feelings. All in all, mankind is governed by emotions. The mind – and an analysis based only on reason – is alien to human nature. By way of illustration, take Marie Curie. The discovery of the new elements and her work on radiation was the fruit of scientific (and hence rational) deductions and work. Her decision not to take out patents securing her rights over inventions, was a highly emotive – and to my mind decent – reaction driven by her altruism. I believe you fathom the trend.”

“I do; and please explain to me why this met with your approval?”

“You remained true to form, and, on this basis, I concluded that you performed your task effectively. Nonetheless, we are baffled by one trend displayed by you. All individuals considered by you in respect of the 20th century thrived during its early decades or first half. Most of them were born during the last decades of the 19th century but were active – and gained recognition – in the 20th. Isn’t that true?”

“It is,” I conceded willingly. “However, please consider the matter from my viewpoint. The impact or achievements of individuals like Stalin, Mao, Einstein, Hubble and Marie Curie were conveyed to me during my school years. Even a leader like Deng Xiaoping – who came to power in the People’s Republic of China in 1978 – started his career long before Mao’s Cultural Revolution.”

“So?” asked He Himself.

“The giants or fiends of the second half – or the last few decades – of the 20th century are too close to be identified. I am satisfied that a theoretical physicist like Hawking or political leaders like Margaret Thatcher will be remembered and have left a legacy. All the same, it is too early to form a decisive impression. I am amidst things – not above or detached from them.”

“I take your point,” said Theophil, who had remained silent until then. “Could you perhaps convey to us your impression of the 20th century as a whole or, in particular, of its second half.”

“By and large, I regard the 20th century as a period of great attainments, both in the sciences and in the arts. In a way, it was a renaissance. Nonetheless, many spells of genocide and of sheer mass slaughter took place during it. The senseless WWI – the war in the trenches – and the horrid WWII remind me of the Mongol conquests of earlier generations. These events of our modern era dwarf the cruelties and brutality of earlier onslaughts.”

“Anything special about the second half?” asked Theophil.

“On the positive side I am inclined to regard it as the Pax Americana, marked by relative peace and a drive for globalization. It was also the age of the electronic revolution. I recall that in my days as a doctoral student I had to take the train from Oxford to London to have access to the American law reports. Today these are available online. Cosmology, astronomy and medicine experienced great leaps forward. So did banking and finance.”

“Tell us a bit about the latter,” asked Gabriel.

“Most banks have become multinational. They have offices all over the world. When I first arrived in Singapore, the Standard Chartered Bank and the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation were the major financial institutions. Singapore had some local banks, such as the Lee Hwa and the Chung Khiaw Bank; but they were not major players. When I returned to the city-state in 1986, DBS, OCBC, OUB and UOB had become the leading banks. The United Kingdom, too, saw many changes. In 1960 the centre of Oxford – Carfax – boasted a few banks. Today many banks have merged so that, in reality, there are only two players in Carfax; and many foreign banks have establishments in London. It is a different – a brave new – banking world.”

“Has society, too, undergone a change?” asked my mentor

“I think it has. First, people are open about and lay great stress on wealth and talk about money. In the past, it was ‘vulgar’ to discuss money and, further, moguls tended to become patrons of the arts or of a designated science. Today, they are far more inclined to show off monetary success than ever before. In a sense, this is not surprising. Capitalism centres on financial achievements. In the past, class and standing were of greater significance than cash. Secondly, the newspaper world and the media have gained strength. Whilst we find their roots in the 16th century, they gained momentum and influence in our era. The press and the media can make and break an individual; and in many ways they have become a propaganda tool. Third, in the Western World, democracy has become the norm. Monarchies are rare.”

“How about the Orient?” asked Gabriel.

“Democracy reigns in India; China has a ‘strong’ person rule: communist in name only. Russia – the outpost of the Occident and bordering on the Orient – has become a dictatorship.”

“I agree with your summary,” said Theophil. “You see, Gabri and I share a hobby: it is the study of your civilisations. In your favourite tome – The Book of Job – He asked me from where I came to our meeting, to which I replied ‘From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down it’ (Job 1:7): an apt description.”

“How about Gabriel?” I wanted to know.

“He actually mixes with you. I already told you that on one occasion he worked in the Inland Revenue Department. Centuries earlier he was in the court of Suleiman the Magnificent.”

“As a vizier?”

“No, Peter’le. Like Theo, I am a non-interventionist: I stick to low profile positions, which enable me to see and examine without effecting a change. When the two of us compare our notes we are usually in tandem; and He listens to us.”

“What is so special about our world and about mankind in particular?”

“The fact that I was its first mover and that Matey and Gabri like to study it,” explained He Himself patiently.

“There is one further issue I want to raise,” I said with trepidation.

“Go ahead,” said He Himself.

“We tend to think of history as divided into centuries,” I made my point. “Is this realistic? Take the 20th century. The period preceding WWI is in most ways an extension of the milieu of the 19th. Similarly, the 18th century came to an end with the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, which shattered the feudal world.”

“If you focus on political developments, your observation is valid,” He replied. “But think about the progress of science. Albert Einstein and Marie Curie impacted physics and chemistry during the first decade of the 20th century. Should you then consider them as 19th century thinkers because they were born before the turn of the century?”

“Not really. They were active during the first half of the 20th century,” I replied.

“In reality the division of history into centuries is a matter of convenience,” augmented Theophil. “Naturally, there are overlaps. The Mongol Empire is an excellent example. Genghis launched it in 1206; it lasted, with variations, till 1480, when Ivan the Terrible drove the Mongols out of their Golden Horde. All the same, the Empire constituted a power supreme during three centuries.”

“Yes, Peter’le,” said Gabriel, “the division of epochs into centuries is a rough dating yardstick. Further, developments in science and in the arts do not, usually, coincide with political upheavals. They take their own course.”

“So, all in all, we can adhere to this recognised criterion,” I agreed. “There is an element of caprice in it but, in its own way, it constitutes a useful guide.”

“We shall now proceed to consider your case,” He told me.” There is, nonetheless, one point I want to clarify. You are happy in your present abode and – directly or indirectly – your work is in tandem with Matey’s hobby. Do you feel that, in a way, you have already merged with him?”

“I do, rather,” I approbated. “Theophil wanders from place to place and gains insights. The occupants of his ward assist me to analyse developments noted by him.”

“Well said,” remarked my mentor.

3. The Panel Delivers Final Judgment

Without further ado the three members of the panel vanished. Instantly, I panicked. Was I going to be left lost in space or in a dimension incomprehensible to me? Then, to my relief, I heard my mentor’s voice: “Don’t you worry, Peter’le; we shall reappear soon.”

Right away, I calmed down and waited patiently. When they reappeared, He Himself took the lead. Obviously, the delivery of judgements was his task.

“In our opinion, Peter’le you have carried out your task conscientiously. You are, accordingly, free to merge with Matey. Still, there are gaps in your analysis. You chose people who lived during antiquity but the medieval world and the renaissance are not adequately represented. It is possible that our having restricted you, originally, to seven punchees was narrow.”

“This shortcoming is due to our original decision,” agreed Gabriel, who had retained the image of Old Frank of my days in secondary school. Then, after a short pause, he added: “In reality though your work and effort are encompassed in Theo’s hobby or field of interest.”

“Right you are, Dr. … I mean, Gabriel,” I consented.

“Dr. Frank, or Old Frank, would have been just as acceptable. You see, one of the personalities I assumed during your epoch was that of your old teacher.”

“So, in a manner of speaking, you paved the way for my link with Maestro: was it a wilful side effect?”

“Not really,” explained Gabriel. “It was a sheer coincidence that one of my pupils was to become an adherent of Theo. Be this as it may, you better listen to the details of our verdict.”

“Well, Peter’le,” He Himself spoke judicially, “we have decided to allow you to proceed. Details are left to be determined by Matey and yourself.”

“Please tell me, Maestro,” I addressed my mentor, “would it be more effective if I merged with you and, thus, took part in your travels or do you prefer me to stay in your ward and be at your service from there?”

“Are you happy there?” asked Theophil.

“I am, provided I can occasionally travel to interesting periods or meet individuals deserving attention.”

“That seals it,” concluded He Himself. “You may return to Matey’s special ward and come over to address us as you proceed with your study. Let me tell you: the medieval world is not entirely dark. Interesting theological and philosophical developments took place during this poorly researched period.”

Archie, Tiger and Moti were glad to welcome me back. When I told them that I have returned for good, Moti rose on his hind legs and trumpeted to his heart’s delight.