The Master's Apprentice - Oliver Potzsch Page 0,161

life with Margarethe, and sooner rather than later. So he decided to put his plan into action.

There was only one thing left missing.

“You want what?” Valentin looked at Johann with wide eyes and put down his stylus. They had met in the common area of their lodging to study up on the Greek philosophers. Valentin wanted to take his baccalaureus in half a year’s time, and Johann had promised to help him. There was indeed much room for improvement in Valentin’s Greek, and his translations were riddled with mistakes. On top of everything else, Johann’s question completely threw him.

“I want you to paint an angel,” repeated Johann. “On a glass plate, just like the animals. I’ll get you one.”

“What in God’s name do we need an angel for?”

“Well, I think it wouldn’t hurt if there were Christian motifs among our pictures,” replied Johann. “If we want to present the laterna to the university scholars one day, we can hardly show them nothing but cats, stags, and wolves. An angel would bring the theologists to our side. The perfect synthesis of faith and science.”

“Hmm. Perhaps you’re right.” Valentin put down the tome about Plutarch’s comparative autobiographies of Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great. “I should have time for it after the baccalaureus.”

“Why not before?”

Valentin looked surprised. “Before? But—”

“Listen,” Johann interrupted. “When I said a while ago that the degree of magister would elevate the laterna—that was a stupid and vain thing to say. I can see that now, and I’m sorry. It was all your idea to begin with, so you should reap the praise for it. What do think about introducing the laterna magica during your exam? Rector Gallus would be best, I think. You could say that we started off building a camera obscura and later decided to take it further.”

“And the lenses from his glasses?” asked Valentin skeptically.

“The lenses could have come from anywhere. I’m sure the old man has long forgotten about them. That was months ago, and besides, he’s already wearing new ones.”

Valentin shook his head. “That wouldn’t be right, Johann. You put just as much work into the apparatus.”

“I’ve got my baccalaureus already,” replied Johann with a smile. “But I wouldn’t mind you mentioning my name in the course of your presentation. What do you say?”

He looked at Valentin expectantly. He tried to appear casual, but inwardly he prayed that Valentin would go for it. It was too important! Important to him, but most of all to Margarethe, because he needed to get her out of that nunnery before her delusions about the devil, boogeymen, and demons consumed her completely.

“All right,” said Valentin reluctantly. “Why not? I’ll draw an angel. Hmm. A Virgin Mary and a cross wouldn’t hurt, either.” He started to draw small sketches on the edges of his papers. After just a few moments his enthusiasm seemed kindled. “The angel needs wings and a sword, of course,” he said and continued his drawing. “Yes, I think I’ll go for an archangel. Archangel Michael, perhaps.”

Johann nodded. “I think Archangel Michael is an excellent idea. He symbolizes the fight against evil. The theologists are going to love you.”

Valentin smiled and looked up from his sketches. “I never took you for someone so selfless, Johann Faustus.” His expression turned more serious. “You told me so little about you and your former life. Sometimes I really don’t know who you are. I’ve been worrying about you and me lately, but clearly for nothing.” He smiled again. “You’re a true friend.”

Johann felt a brief stab of guilt in his chest, but the pain soon passed.

18

SO? DO YOU like it here?”

Johann lifted the torch, and the flickering flames illuminated the many faded paintings on the cave’s vaulted ceiling. Among others, there was a painting in various shades of red of the Virgin Mary with her child. The mother and baby Jesus gazed down kindly on Johann and Margarethe.

“It . . . it’s so beautiful,” breathed Margarethe. “How do you know this place?”

“Students have plenty of time to go for walks.” Johann grinned. “I enjoy roaming Heiligenberg Mountain and being alone with my thoughts. I discovered this cave when I was seeking shelter from a thunderstorm once.”

He had found the cave a few weeks earlier, at the foot of Heiligenberg Mountain—one of the last foothills of the Odenwald Mountains, wooded with oak trees and chestnuts. It lay on the other side of the Neckar River, opposite Königstuhl Mountain, and was a popular meeting place for students and young couples