CHAPTER NINE
But Gehru, the glass company's president, was no less friendly than before. Sometimes a message came from his club, inviting me to an enjoyable evening. This was more intimate than the super-kappa club which Tock attended. Gehru’s conversation was not as profound as that of Magg the philosopher, but it opened a new world to me -- a wide world. Gehru spoke cheerfully of various things while stirring his coffee with a solid gold spoon.
One foggy evening, I was arranging winter roses in a vase while listening to Gehru speak. That room was in an Art Nouveau style, chairs and table painted white with a thin gold border. With an even smugger expression than usual, Gehru talked about the Quorax Party, which was in charge of the whole country at that time. This word "Quorax" was a meaningless interjection, like oh my. Anyhow it was the party with the slogan "Benefits for All Kappa."
"The leader of the Quorax party is Roppe, a renowned politician. Didn’t Bismarck say "Honesty is the best policy”?. But Roppe also exercises honesty in internal affairs..."
"But Roppe's speech..."
"Well, listen to me. That speech is entirely a lie. But lies that no one recognizes no different from the truth. What is an unconditional lie is your narrow view. We kappa, unlike you humans... But never mind, I want to talk about Roppe. He controls the Quorax party, and the newspaper called “Pou-Fou” (this also is a meaningless exclamation. If forced, I'd translate it as "ah") has a chief editor, Kuikui. But Kuikui himself is not really in charge. Gehru who sits before you controls Kuikui."
"But -- I don't know if this is rude, but Pou-Fou Newspaper claims to be the paper of the people. If you're controlling the chief..."
"Pou-Fou's reporters are allies of the laborers. But reporters are controlled from above Kuikui. If he didn't have my backing, he'd be worthless."
Gehru wore a strange smile, eating dessert with his solid gold spoon. More than looking at him with hate, I felt sympathy for the reporters. At my silence, Gehru guessed this and his great belly swelled.
"Well, not all of Pou Fou's reporters are allies of the laborers. A kappa is their own ally before any other. To make matters even more complicated, just as I pull Kuikui’s strings, there is someone behind me. Can you guess? My wife, of course, the beautiful Mrs. Gehru.”
He laughed out loud.
“That makes you happy?”
“Satisfied, anyway. I can only say this to you. I’d never admit it in front of other kappa.”
“So you’re saying Mrs. Gehru controls the Quorax Party.”
“I suppose you could say that… but the war seven years ago was no different. It started because of a female.”
“War? There was a war in this country?”
“In the past, and probably again in the future. As long as there are neighboring countries…”
This was the first time I’d heard of the land of kappa not being isolated. Gehru explained the kappa treated otters as their enemies. The otters were just as able to wield weapons as the kappa. I was quite interested to hear about this enmity. (Nothing in the literature about kappa mentioned it.)
“Before the war, both sides were naturally wary of each other and making defensive preparations. We were as afraid of them as they were of us. There was one otter living in this country, and he visited a kappa couple. The wife had been planning to kill her husband, who was a rake. She may also have been coveting the insurance money.”
“Did you know them?”
“No, I was acquainted with the male. My wife and her friends say he was a villain, but if you ask me he was only driven mad by paranoia from getting caught by a female… anyway, she put prussic acid into his cocoa, but gave it to the visiting otter by accident. The otter died, of course, then…”
“That was how the war began?”
“Yes, unfortunately that otter was a decorated hero.”
“Which side won?”
“This country, of course. 369,500 kappa bravely perished. But that was nothing to what the other side lost. Every fur we wear comes from otters. During the war, in addition to manufacturing glass, I sent lumps of coal to the front.”
“Coal? What for?”
“Food, of course. When they’re starving, kappa will eat anything.”
“But that -- please don’t take this the wrong way. But to treat soldiers like that, in my country that would cause an uproar.”
“It did in this one as well. But as I tell people of it myself, no one is shocked anymore. As the philosopher Magg said, “Speak your own evil, and it will erase itself.” Besides the profit, I was burning with patriotism.”
A waiter for the club entered. He bowed to Gehru and said formally, “A fire broke out next to your house.”
“F-fire?!”
Gehru stood up, shocked, as did I. However, the waiter soothed us saying, “They have already put it out.” Bowing and exiting, Gehru watched him with a turmoil of emotions on his face. I became aware of a dislike that had been growing in me for the glass company’s president. But at that moment, he was not some major capitalist, but a regular kappa. I took one of the roses from the case and handed it to him.
“The fire may have been doused but your wife is sure to be upset. Bring this home to her.”
“Thank you.”
Gehru took my hand, laughed suddenly, then whispered in my ear, “the neighboring house is also mine, so I will get the insurance money.”
I still vividly recall his smile at that moment -- a smile that made me feel neither contempt nor hate.
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