Doris Lessing - Briefing for a Descent into Hell

“You, Mercury, God of letters and of music and of — in a word, progress , complaining about that! You wouldn’t want them still in that dark and primitive state, would you?”

“They don’t know how to use it.”

“That remains to be seen.”

“All I’m saying is that knowledge brings a penalty with it — of course, it was enterprising of him — what’s his name, Jason, Prometheus, that fellow — in his place I might have done the same. Eating the fruit when I was told not to …”

“Stealing the fire,” says Minerva, always with a tendency towards pedantry.

“Come now, don’t be so literal-minded, that’s to be like them,” says Mercury.

“And there’s the other thing,” says Minerva, rather stern — at her tone Mercury began to look irritated. For Minerva was also a bit of blue-stocking; her feeling of justice and fair play (regarded as childish by some of the Gods who regarded themselves as more advanced, philosophically) usually led her to the question of women’s rights, and men’s vanity.

“All right,” says Mercury, “understood.”

“But is it?” says she, severe. “His mother was an earth-woman, certainly, but who was his father? Well?”

“Oh don’t start, please,” says Mercury. “You really are a bore, you know, when you get on to that.”

“Justice,” she says. “Fair play. I’m my father’s daughter. And who was his father? With such blood, or rather, fire, in his veins, he was not to be expected to live like a mole in earth knowing that Light existed, and yet never reaching out after it.”

“There was reason to believe,” says Mercury, “that he was in it all the time. He walked in the Garden with God.”

“And then he ate what he should not have done. He stole the Apple, dear God of Thieves. And paid for it.”

“And in short everything is going as was expected, and according to plan, and with Our assistance.”

“Progress has to be seen to be made.”

“All right, I’m ready to leave when the Time is Ripe.”

“Are you quite sure of your mandate?”

“Dear Minerva! Is it any different this time?”

“It is always the same Message, of course …”

“Yes. That there is a Harmony and that if they wish to prosper they must keep in step and obey its Laws. Quite so.”

“But things are really very much worse this time. The stars in their courses, you know …”

“Fight on the side of Justice.”

“In the long run, yes. But what a very long run it must seem to them, poor things.”

“Partly through their own fault.”

“You sound very severe today. Sometimes we even seem to change roles a little? You must remember that you are God of Thieves because you inspire, if not provoke, curiosity and a desire for growth, in such actions as stealing fire or eating forbidden fruit or building towers that are intended to reach Heaven and the Gods. Punishable acts. Acts that have, in fact, been punished already.”

“Perhaps it isn’t always easy to take responsibility for our progeny? Is it, dear Minerva? For acts can be our children … tell me, is it easy for your Father, or for you, to recognise as kith and kin acts of justice that are in fact the results of your influence — can in a sense be regarded as you, though in extension of course? Justice is Justice still, in the sentencing of a thief to prison — and the thief has stolen books because he has no money to buy them. In such a drama both you and I are represented — and there’s little doubt which of us appears more attractively? Are you sure you aren’t finding my celestial role rather more attractive than yours, and it is that which accounts for your concern — which I very much value, of course.”

“I should have known better,” says Minerva. “Only an idiot gets into an argument with the Master of Words. Well, I can’t really wish you an enjoyable visit, when things have never been so bad.”

“But one hopes, and indeed expects, that they have a potentiality for good in proportion to the bad — for that is how things tend to balance out.”

“The sort of remark that I usually make, if I may say so — and which tends to irritate you, dear Messenger. But you are right. This particular combination of planets will be really so very powerful — the equivalent of several centuries of evolution all in a decade or so. I don’t think I am exceeding my mandate if I say there is anxiety. After all, no one could say they have ever been distinguished by consistency or even ordinary common sense.”

“I am sure the anxiety is justified. But I expect there’ll be the usual few who will listen. It’s enough.”

“So we must hope, for everyone’s sake.”

“And if the worst comes to the worst, we can do without them. The Celestial Gardener will simply have to lop off that branch, and graft another.”

“Charmingly put! Almost, indeed, reassuring, put in such a way! But so much trouble and effort have already been put into that planet. Messengers have been sent again and again. The regard of Our Father (as of course it comes down to us through his Regent, my own Father) is surely expressed by the long history of Our concern? And there was that Covenant — the fact they continuously disregard it, is not enough reason to abandon them altogether. After all, when all is said and done …”

“You are tactfully referring to that ancestry business again? Well, whatever the stark and dire nature of the shortly-to-be-expected celestial configurations, and whatever man’s backslidings, the fact that I am about to descend again (yes, I grant that I say that with a bit of a sigh) shows that our respective fathers are well aware of the situation. And more — that there is confidence in the outcome.”

“I’m glad I find you in such good heart.”

“Dear Minerva, do come out with it. You want to give me some good advice, is that it?”

“It’s just that — well, after all, there are a dozen or so of us, Jupiter’s children, and it is an enlarging family, and some of us are not unlike Earth, and as the oldest sister you must see that I have had so much experience and …”

“Dear, dear Minerva.”

“Oh well, I really didn’t mean to irritate you. I’ll leave you, then.”

“Yes, do, goodbye.”

And Minerva flies off.

As for Mercury the Messenger, he divides himself effortlessly into a dozen or so fragments, which fall gently through the air on to Earth, and the Battalions of Progress are strengthened for the Fight.

Ah yes, all very whimsical. Yes, indeed, the contemporary mode is much to be preferred, thus: that Earth is due to receive a pattern of impulses from the planet nearest the Sun, that planet nearest on the arm of the spiral out from Sun. As a result, the Permanent Staff on Earth are reinforced and

THE CONFERENCE

was convened on Venus, and had delegates from as far away as Pluto and Neptune, both of whom normally asked for transcripts to be sent. But this time, everyone in the solar system would be affected. The Sun Himself was represented. But his Presence was general and pervasive: the light glowed more strongly after a certain point in the proceedings, and a silence fell for a moment — that was all. But everyone knew how rare an event this was, and the sense of urgency deepened.

Minna Erve was in the Chair. A forceful and animated woman, with particularly arresting eyes, she was the obvious choice, because of her position as Chief Deputy’s oldest daughter.

The conference was already nearly over, with not much more than the Briefing to come. Already those who were not in on the Descent were getting up and collecting their gear.

Minna Erve was still speaking. “In short, this is the worst yet. The computers have checked and doublechecked — and checked again. This was on advice from on High—” here the Light pulsed in acknowledgement—“but there is no doubt. The balance of planetary forces already exercises strong adverse pressures, which will reach a peak in about ten to fifteen years from now. Their years, of course. Before you leave, I’d like you to watch this second film, Forecast (Detail).”