And Katharina cried: “Father, no!” And Margaretha laughed and waved her hand and said: “Why not, go ahead, put it in.” And the Emperor looked at the Prince and said: “What do you think?” And Margaretha said: “Why are you asking Heinrich that?” And the Emperor said: “I’m asking all of you, I’m canvassing all of your thoughts.” And Margaretha said: “No, Father, you’re asking Heinrich, you are obviously only asking Heinrich, and in terms of the canvassing of people’s thoughts it’s obvious you’re canvassing only his thoughts, do you really not see that? Really? Is that not obvious to you, Father? Am I going crazy? Obviously there is only one opinion about the bird that matters here, what the rest of us have to say about what to do with the bird is immaterial.” Heinrich told the astronomer: “On my father’s face I saw the expression I often saw there after she had spoken to him, an expression of solemnity, perplexity, and woe.” The Court Chamberlain whispered something into the Emperor’s ear. The astronomer peered into the telescope, picked up his quill, and wrote something down. He said that Prince Heinrich had told him: “My concern for the bird was overridden by my desire for family harmony, by the fear my older sister could still instill in me. So I said: I agree with Margaretha, put the bird in the globe.” Katharina ran over to the Emperor where he was kneeling before the pump and wrapped her arms around him and cried: “No, Father, please, no! You can’t let him do it, it doesn’t matter what’s in there, and it’s going to hurt that bird!” And Margaretha burst into laughter and said: “It does matter, of course it matters, the truth always matters, silly child, the fact is that nothing matters except the truth, nothing else matters, you will learn that sooner or later—at least I hope! And of course it is not going to hurt the bird, it’s a trick, an illusion, nothing more, you know nothing about this man, he’s a magician, an illusionist, nothing more, the last time he came here you didn’t even exist yet, you were still sloshing around in Mother’s belly, Mother was still here and you were still in her belly, yet you talk as if you know what’s going on here! It is the funniest thing, really. Have you not noticed that Heinrich and I, your oldest siblings, who actually know something about this magician, have both said: Sure, go ahead, put the bird in the globe? Honestly, Katharina, it amazes me sometimes how confidently you talk about things that came along a long time before you did, such an attitude may serve a person well in politics, but in circumstances like this it just makes you look a little ridiculous. Come here, come here, come here, come sit on my lap.” Katharina, who, noted Heinrich, had begun rubbing her eyes, shot a quick glance at Wilhelmina (who, probably fearful of Margaretha, did not return it) and then shuffled over to Margaretha and climbed up onto her lap. “It’s just, I don’t want him to hurt the bird,” Katharina managed to say between sobs, and Margaretha, smoothing down her hair, said: “You are the sweetest thing, and you have the softest hair I’ve ever felt in my entire life, and a big wonderful heart besides, but you know nothing about anything happening here, the meaning of all this is flying over your head, and the bird, I promise you, is not going to get hurt.” And she kissed the top of Katharina’s head.