Jesse Ball: The Way Through Doors

— I’m not entirely sure, she said, that I ever knew you.

— Be sure of it, I said. You’ve got to stay awake.

— How will I manage it? she asked. I’m already tired.

— Easy enough, I said. I’ll tell you stories.

— That sounds just fine, said Mora, resting her head on my shoulder. When will you begin?

— At the room I let, I said. Many things begin there.

My apartment was in the top floor of an old building. It had an elevator controlled by cables, and wide factory windows. Mora was pleased greatly by the elevator, and even more so by my rooms. I had purchased an old printing press with the money I made from my new profession, and I had outfitted the place as a thoroughgoing pamphleteer’s hideout.

She sat down on a sofa and looked around happily.

— Something to drink? I asked.

— A mint julep, she said. That and only that.

Luckily I was in the habit of drinking mint juleps. I made a pitcher and brought it in. The making of mint juleps is a glad and pleasing experience, particularly when it is done on the behalf of a young woman who has lost her memory.

— And now, I said, handing her a tumbler full of ice, our story begins.

I took a long drink of mint julep.

— Young man, let me look at you.

The room was broad, and lit from behind by many tiny windows that lined the stark white walls. Light came through in a hideous clarity, focused just beyond the glass by the shining leaves of the enormous oaks from the street. A thin man, my uncle, came around the desk towards me.

I, smiling, nodding. My uncle looked very glad to see me. Always pleasant to be seen by one who’s glad to see you. That’s the way.

— My boy, I heard the bad news. If there’s anything I can do for you…I hope the car ride wasn’t too long. I told them to come directly, of course.

— Not long. I had a newspaper.

— Good, good. (An embrace.)

— You’ve had your hair cut, haven’t you? he asked. Cut with a straight razor, looks like.

— Yes, I said, just now. I do it myself, a couple times a year.

— You use a mirror? he asked.

— No, I said, just a razor and a comb. In fact, I close my eyes.

— Not bad, he said. It’s the old way, isn’t it? Way they used to do it…I’d like to see that. Tell me next time, and I’ll send the car. Anyway, you might want to use a mirror. You missed a few spots.

He gave me another pat, then unhanded me, went back around the desk, and sat down with the air of a man who has often sat down in the presence of others who remain standing.

— I have given your situation some thought, Selah. It has come to my attention that you could use a bit of work. I thought about several of the many options that exist and I have come to certain conclusions.

— I…

— Enough of that, he said. I have conferred with some cronies of mine, and I am going to install you in a position, the duties of which I’m certain you will discharge.

He pressed a button behind his desk and a door on the far side of the room opened. A man came out. He seemed to be in a hurry. Nodding to my uncle, he immediately addressed me.

— Selah Morse?

I nodded. A strange-looking man. He reminded me of a devil-bird that once had roosted in the tree outside of my window. It would never leave, but would always sit upon a certain branch and cackle at me. Whenever it was present, I would have bad dreams. I passed two years of my life in this way with the devil-bird.

— Come with me please.

He watched me as I stood there.

My uncle nodded.

— I think you’ll find the work fascinating. Come and see me sometime. We’ll go to the zoo after hours and shoot ducks.

But already I was following the birdlike man through the paneling. There was a chute there. I climbed into it and found myself shot out of a vent unit onto a grassy lawn at street level.

— Call me Levkin, the man said in a very comforting voice.

I nodded.

I followed Levkin down the block. He had a rapid way of walking with hardly any wasted motion. He turned several times, finally coming to a sort of pocket-park. In the center, a grand building in the Federalist style. We crossed the park, mounted the steps, and entered, he turning in the lock a sort of monkey-faced key.

Within there was an entry room. A desk stood opposite the door. On it a very pretty girl lay sleeping. She was quite slender, and expensively dressed. She gave one the impression of a cat, insomuch as were one to wake her it seemed she would be likely to scratch or bite you with great animosity.

I looked at Levkin. He had his finger over his lips. Softly he said:

— That’s Rita, the message-girl.

— Messages for what? I whispered.

— Just to keep us on our toes, you know, he whispered back.

He passed on through a left-hand door into a long sort of sitting room. There were tables, chairs, and sofas, as well as a large armoire. He opened it with the same monkey-faced key. Inside were a great number of identical suits, in various sizes. Identical to the suit he himself was wearing. It was an elegant suit, obviously costly, but very quiet. As quiet as the passage of six mice over a carpet.

— Is it always that quiet? I asked.

— Generally, he said. What’s your size?

I reached past him and took a suit at random.

— Your lair is up a ladder, he said.

I grinned. What a fine fellow Levkin was turning out to be.

We exited the sitting room and proceeded back past Rita, who was still quite asleep. From this new angle I could partially see down the front of her shirt. It was very exciting.

— In here, said Levkin.

Through the right-hand door we went. A hallway led to the back of the house. There was a ladder on one side and a stair on the other. Levkin climbed up the ladder. I followed. At the top, a landing and a door. On the door there was a name-plate. It said, SELAH MORSE, MUNICIPAL INSPECTOR. He opened the door.

— Your office. On the desk, a letter in explanation. Rita will follow, perhaps bringing tea. She is difficult to predict.

Levkin did a sort of half bow, and vanished back through the door and down the ladder, leaving me to survey my new premises. It was a fine room. A very long window ran much of the way along the wall, giving a view out onto the park. A dog was chasing another dog, which was chasing the first dog unsuccessfully. I felt that this meant something. I wrote it down on a pad of paper.

Dog chasing dog itself chasing dog, but not fast enough.

I illustrated the note, took out a penknife, held the note against the wall, and stabbed the penknife through it. I checked. The note was held securely. As I did this, Rita entered and leaned against the wall.

— Dressing up the place? she asked.

— Is that my tea? I asked.

— It can be.

She crossed the room and set the tea down on a small table by the window. With a sigh she threw herself down into a large leather divan and sat watching me.

I shook my head. I picked the suit up, went into the bathroom, and put it on. It fit perfectly. Pants, shirt, vest. There was even a pocket watch. My old clothes I put into a chute labeled,

THE FIRE THAT AWAITS US

Rita came into the bathroom.

— Not bad, she said, and held the suit coat up for me.

She spun around and left out a different door, one on the far side of the room.

Only after she was gone did I wonder, how had she climbed the ladder with a cup of tea on a saucer?

Turning back to the desk I found an envelope. Within there was a letter, three days old.

Seventh Ministry

20 July xxxx