That abrupt halt was caused by an insidious, if ultimately ineffective, attack on our party by a group of those pesky Anarchists.

Just as I was writing about that professor of Mathematics, Mr Frazer turned to me and asked if I noticed some odour. As I inhaled to try and identify it, I fainted. When I came to, I was in Mr Frazer's arms out on the deck between the train's cars.

The entire group in the first-class compartment had been drugged by some sort of gas, and were quite asleep. Mr Frazer and I propped open the door and the trapdoor in the ceiling, but we couldn't stay in the car to revive our comrades.

We knew nothing of the resources of our enemies, nor of their plans. Was this soporific deployed generally, or only in this one compartment? Did these attackers know that a goodly part of our company was in the luggage car?

Since no one outside our party had been in the compartment when the sleep gas took effect, it was likely that the enemies did not know that Mr Frazer and I had escaped its effects. We were still free to warn the others, or to fight beside them if need be. In order to escape detection, we determined to make our way back along the train across the roof, leaping across the spaces between the cars. The first few gaps were somewhat unnerving, but Mr Frazer was ready to catch me at each jump. I took a moment to peer surreptitiously into one of the other passenger cars, and discovered that all the other passengers were awake and behaving normally. We couldn't know who among them might be in league with our attackers, so we continued walking, as quietly as we could, above their heads.

We met Mr Salmalin coming the other way. Inspector MacGregor had been alerted by the ghost of his father to something amiss with Mrs Cuthbert, and Salmalin had come forward to investigate. We briefed him on the situation, and he returned to report to the contingent in the baggage car. Mr Frazer and I, having given our message, determined that we should return to the first class carriage to defend our sleeping, helpless colleagues if need be.

So it was that we missed the battle at the luggage car.

The next thing I saw was the glare of a rocket, moving forward from the luggage car, far to the rear of our position. With the dark and the distance, I could not make out what was happening. I heard about it from Miss Whitnell a little later.

The attack had been orchestrated by that very professor of Mathematics, and only two allies. They had used the gas on the forward car, and then had gone to the baggage car and released the coupling holding that car (and the ones behind) to the train and the locomotive.

Dr Wilson quickly fired a rocket which he had strapped to his person (don't ask me why he does these things). This propelled him forward, toward the still-moving forward cars of the train. He was hoping to secure the cars together again with the rope that he was towing behind him. This was quick thinking, but that alone would not have done the trick…

Meanwhile, Miss Whitnell determined to try some magic to magnetize the train cars and keep the detached cars close to the still-moving cars. This proved convenient, as the allies of the Professor appeared with guns in hand. The guns were affected by the magnetism of the train cars and the enemies could not aim them at all.
Mr O'Flaherty was holding the trailing end of Dr Wilson's rope, preparing to secure it to the car, when the gun-wielding men came at him. Their mistake. He disabled them quickly, taking two captive but losing the last when the villain fell off the train.

So, all this happened while Mr Frazer and I sat atop the passenger compartment containing our friends. We received word that the miscreants had been captured, and were eventually able to wake our compatriots. We bundled the attackers up in their own luggage and marked it to be sent to Captain Wymms.

Miss Whitnell told us that the magic that she and Mr Hassan had used to create the magnetism would probably attract the attention of Herr Bopp. He would have a good chance of locating the train and could intercept us at the station if we went all the way to Konigsberg.

So we chose a town about 30 miles short of Konigsberg called Kammerstein. The Mystics will arrange some kind of concealment to hide our trail. Sir Cosmo hopes to purchase several carriages or wagons to get us to Konigsberg.

Mr Frazer and I have continued to keep watch from the top of the train car, just in case Bopp sends some attack against the train en route.

Notes on our plan to defeat Bopp and liberate the Bull artifact:

1) Tunnel Group:
objectives: find and free Herr Gruber;
take a position to storm the Citadel from inside in support of other teams
partisans: Miss S, Mr F, Edward, Salmalin, both dogs, Sgt Frazer.
method: sneak into tunnel via pub as seen by Mrs C, dispatch any guards, locate Gruber, signal readiness by relay of Sgt Frazer.

2) Chariot Group:
objectives: to reclaim the Bull artifact and disarm or dispatch Bopp
partisans: part a—Mr Hassan and Mr O'F
part b—Sir C, George, Mr D, and Mr R
method: Take position at Witch Hill. Mr Hassan will transport himself and Mr O'F to the Bull using his Amulet. They will offer opportunity of surrender to Bopp, and dispatch him is he refuses. Then, Mr Hassan will summon Lion Artifact in Chariot form, carrying part b.
Action will await signal from Sgt Frazer via Mrs C

3) Tower Group:
objectives: to distract soldiers and guards away from location of Bull and open an escape route for Tunnel and Chariot groups.
partisans: Dr W, Mr C, Caine, Lt W, Insp MacG, Marquis
method: Take position in a carriage near main gate. When signaled via Sgt Frazer to Mr MacG to Insp MacG, charge at gate, opening top of carriage for easy egress. Marquis and Dr W will use "rocket belts" to reach the tops of the 2 gate towers, towing ropes. The rest should be able to follow and storm the towers, with the element of surprise on their side.

4) Witch Hill Group:
objectives: to distract Herr Bopp by raising a magical ruckus, and possibly disarm his magical knife.
partisans: Mrs C, Miss W, Miss M, Miss Ch, and Emily
method: take position at Witch Hill. When signaled via Sgt Frazer to Mrs C, begin magical actions, including summoning spirits of witches executed by T Knights. Possible assistance from Miss M's mother's ghost. Miss Ch to help chant, Emily to guard.

Wednesday, 3 August, 1870

That action went astonishingly well, and almost according to plan.

We had found the probable entry to the tunnels, as indicated by Mrs Cuthbert's scrying. That is also how we learned about a Herr Gruber, an apparently honest police officer trying to learn about the death of the girl we had witnessed. This man had been taken captive by Bopp's partisans in those tunnels.

We got into position reasonably easily. We went with almost no light, I was holding to Mr Frazer's coattail. No guards were waiting in ambush.

We emerged into the citadel, apparently into their laboratories. There, we discovered the first deviation from the plan: Bopp's people had been working on a variety of weapons using the autunite battery, including a huge explosive device, as well as a large number of hand weapons similar to Sir Cosmo's etheric pistol.

Salmalin had already disabled the handful of laboratory personnel. Edward set about disarming the bomb, and I started taking the batteries out of the pistols and throwing them into the tunnel, for possible retrieval later.

Meanwhile, we sent Sgt Frazer signal our position and to warn everyone about the bomb and about the 50 or so etheric guns which the armory log indicated were assigned to the soldiers in the Citadel.

The actions by the Witch Hill, Chariot, and Tower groups commenced. Before long, I could hear the commotion above us.
Mr Salmalin had located the cell where Herr Gruber was imprisoned, and indicated another cell had a very strange creature in it. We went to look, thinking that this might be one of the Fey creatures recruited by Bopp which the St Jerome's people in Berlin had warned us about.

We found a creature of somewhat human shape but with the aspect of a giant frog or toad. It was chanting in a circle chalked on the floor. Without consultation, Edward fired upon it with the etheric gun he was carrying. It was not disabled, but only angered. I had hoped to learn more about what it was doing, but now it was plainly too late. I fired too, before the maddened creature could turn on us.

The sounds of battle from above us were clearer now, and Sgt Frazer brought us the message that the entire party was fighting and could use reinforcements. We helped Herr Gruber limp out.

When we came up to the main level and followed the noise, we found our colleagues wreaking mighty havoc on the enemies.

Herr Bopp had apparently been killed, but he had been in the middle of some kind of Summoning, and the creature he had summoned had arrived. It was a huge man with a glossy black skin. It was fighting with Mr O'Flaherty and Miss Chigwidgeon. Miss Chigwidgeon was shouting in Hindi again–that great thunderous voice. And indeed, a similarly thunderous voice echoed out of Mr O'Flaherty's mouth.

The Witch Hill group was all here as well–I learned later that they had been transported when the Witch ghosts had summoned their pagan god–it was this entity which was inhabiting Mr O'Flaherty. Miss Metzger and Miss Whitnell were chanting, and Emily...well, all of us were careful to stay out of her way.

The whole thing was quite incomprehensible to me. The destruction was astounding. By the time I spotted Mrs Cuthbert and took Herr Gruber (who had been tortured most cruelly) over to her, Mr O'Flaherty and Miss Chigwidgeon had thrown that other creature through the wall.

I could see out into the courtyard, where enemy troops were attempting to retake the gate towers. One of the towers was badly damaged, but it appeared that all our partisans were at least alive and most still fighting. Then, my view was obscured by the forms of Mr O'Flaherty and the dark man...the two figures were growing! They had reached a height of 50 feet–topping the towers–and were grappling fiercely.

Miss Chigwidgeon strode out to the courtyard after them, plainly intent on joining the fray...Miss Whitnell and Mrs Cuthbert were running behind her, apparently trying to divert her. I couldn't hear what they were saying, because I had my hands over my ears–the general cacophony was quite painful.

Finally Miss Whitnell and Mrs Cuthbert searched out Sir Cosmo and sent him out after Miss Chigwidgeon. After he tried without success to speak to her, he stepped in front of her and kissed her emphatically. Lightning flared all about them–I imagine they were hit by a pulse from one of the etheric guns–but it didn't seem to harm them. Sir Cosmo has been working on protective garments effective against the etheric weapons, and I would say they are successful.

Smoke roiled around them. A huge black cloud formation swirled above the citadel. The giant men were still at it hammer-and-tongs. Sir Cosmo and Miss Chigwidgeon were still locked in their rather ill-timed embrace. I ran out to try to snap them out of it and get them under cover, before the giants stepped on them, or another etheric blast might penetrate Sir Cosmo's defences, or whatever unimaginable evil might befall them.

It took considerable care to make my way around the edges of the fighting to where they were, and I lost sight of parts of the battle. By the time I found my way out, the black giant was gone, and Mr O'Flaherty was resuming his usual, only somewhat gigantic, aspect.

Miss Chigwidgeon seemed to start awake when I touched her shoulder. I cleared my throat and suggested that we should be moving along–then Mr Hassan called out that we should leave quickly now.

I looked around for Edward–I had thought he was by me when we emerged from the dungeons, but he wasn't to be seen now. I ran back in and down to the laboratories, and there he was, just finishing setting a modified version of the autunite bomb to detonate! I told him to deactivate it, but he had evidently made this impossible. Drat the child!

Nothing remained but to evacuate the area as quickly as might be. We ran at our best speed and shouted to all the others to get loaded up and out. I admit that I was shouting at Edward in a most discomposed manner the entire time, with what little breath I could spare.

At the end, we got all our party out safely, but it was a very near thing. Miss Whitnell told me that she and the other Mystics, with the powerful assistance of both the Bull and the Lion Artifacts, had suppressed much of the conflagration. Edward had miscalculated the effects of the explosions, and only this intervention prevented the entire town from being entirely vaporised.

A few notes on interesting deviations from the original plan:

When the Mystics arrived at Witch Hill, they found a mostly abandoned residential neighborhood–reportedly abandoned due to hauntings. Very convenient to Mrs Cuthbert's purpose.
They also found an unexpected ally when they arrived–Baron von Raalik was awaiting them. He had apparently decided to retire from leadership of the Belgian St Jerome's Chapter, and thought it his final purpose to come and assist us in subduing Herr Bopp. I scarcely saw him when the battle was in full swing–but after we were victorious, we found he had simply died. We should be able to return his body to the Chapterhouse for their preferred observances.

In another unexpected circumstance, when Sgt Frazer carried our message that we were in position in the tunnels to Mrs Cuthbert on Witch Hill, it was Miss Chigwidgeon who was dispatched to give the signal to the Chariot group just outside. She stayed there for a few moments, and as it happens was standing rather close to Sir Cosmo when the Chariot materialised at Mr Hassan's call. She was swept up with the rest and arrived at the Knights' compound in good time to participate in the battle with the dark man.

Now we are back at the Inn in Kammerstein, attempting to pretend that we have been in this town all day long. Mrs Cuthbert and also more conventional first aid have repaired the most serious and the most conspicuous of our injuries, so we have some hope of blending in.

Fortunately, Sir Cosmo bought the carriages outright, so we don't have to explain the adjustments made to the Tower Group's carriage. The rest of the carriages are still in good condition.

I believe that Sir Cosmo is attending to wiring various agencies and arranging to report our doings where appropriate. I am certainly glad that we rescued Herr Gruber, since he will be able to put in a good word for us.

Meanwhile, we are all exhausted, and most of us are taking small meals in our rooms. This Inn is not terribly large, so some of us are sharing rooms. I am sharing with Miss Chigwidgeon, as is our usual practice in these sorts of circumstances.

Tomorrow, I believe we will be going back to Berlin–If they will let us in.

Thursday, 4 August, 1870

We spent half the day traveling back to Berlin, and the other half in tedious reports.

I am amazed that we are not having more trouble about our part in the destruction of the Teutonic Knights' stronghold. We are lucky that other powers in Prussia and Austria have been uneasy about Bopp's growing power and his bizarre agenda. While we have inconvenienced some, we have done a great favor to others. Still, I imagine they will be relieved when we depart their borders, and they are just holding their collective breath as to what we will destroy next.

I am quite at a loss as to what to do with Edward. He is not in the least contrite about his error in judgement in setting the autunite bomb. I have attempted to drive home the idea that such a major action, with such potentially devastating results, should not be undertaken lightly and without consultation with wiser heads. Edward maintains that it was the best possible decision in the circumstances, thinking it urgent to avoid allowing the autunite to fall into the wrong hands.

Edward is so certain of being smarter than everyone else, and doesn't believe that being a child, that having only 10 years of life experience, could possibly matter. The ordinary self-centered views of a child paired with Edward's (and of course Wilhelmina's) unnatural intelligence and autonomy produces a terrible pride. This quality, if left uncurbed, could develop into the same megalomania which was so marked in the late Jerrold Moriarty.

Edward's respect for Sir Cosmo is probably our only hope for keeping any rein on Edward (or Wilhelmina).

Sir Cosmo seems to be taking this more calmly than I. I'm not sure how he can be so composed when the responsibility for what has occurred and for any international incident which follows will come to rest primarily on him. He gave Edward a mild but detailed lecture on the consequences of his judgement. The most effective part of his lesson will no doubt prove to be his explanation of the fairly simple chemical process which renders the autunite inert and useless for weapons. I hope that this will demonstrate to Edward that he doesn't know everything, and that there are good reasons to consult adults from time to time.

I have no significant power of discipline over Edward. I have long relied on Edward's natural friendliness to gain his cooperation. If he decides he doesn't like cooperation or obedience, he is perfectly capable of going back to the life of a street urchin. In those circumstances, all the more vicious aspects of children are cultivated survival qualities. Edward or Wilhelmina would quickly become a very dangerous person.

So, the best I can do in the way of showing Edward the fallibility of his judgement is to assign him to write "I will not demolish buildings without permission" one hundred times. Then, I think he will be assigned to write the same 50 times in French, 50 in Latin....

This seems a ridiculously pathetic atonement for destroying an historic citadel and risking the lives of thousands of innocent people. Perhaps another 50 in German...and Hindi....

Friday, 5 August, 1870

I was at last able to keep an appointment with Herr Basserman, and we had a pleasant visit in the morning. Mr Frazer, Miss Whitnell, and Miss Chigwidgeon accompanied me. Herr Basserman complimented the Moth paper, and asked if I planned to translate it into German. He promised to write to me in German in the future, so that I might practice.

I got from him a copy of "Vergleichbare Studie von Saisonadaptataion: Ermine, Hase, Schwarzbauch Fuchs" in the original German–it was this work, which was translated into English some 5 years ago, which led me to correspond with the author. Herr Basserman didn't have a copy of "Vergleichbare Anatomie: Otter, Nerz, Ermine" handy, but I should be able to get it before I leave town.

I might try to find a copy of his beautiful bird book as well, as I have only read it (in the English translation) at the Naturalist Society library, but it is probably too dear for my purse.

The rest of the day was spent in shopping, for provisions, for replacement clothing, for souvenirs, for ammunition, all our usual errands. Sir Cosmo and Inspector MacGregor and Mr Frazer were all quite occupied with their duties, but we ladies went out and about escorted by sufficient fierce-looking gentlemen to dissuade any bandits, anarchists, or small armies from accosting us. The Marquis was in fine form, and led us all about to find all manner of bargains and luxuries.

When Sir Cosmo and the others returned to us for supper, we heard all about their accomplishments of the day.

Our earlier visit to Archduke Wilhelm is bearing some fruit now. Since he is the titular keeper of the Bull, he is the one who should cede it to be returned to Damascus (this is apparently important, having to do with the control of its Mystical properties). The fact that we were kind to him (and that Edward had slipped him a note warning him of personal danger to himself from his own guards), has served to make him willing to listen to our request. The British Ambassador has also assisted in smoothing this transition, but this sort of gentleman relies much on personal impressions to make decisions. In any case, the Bull has been given into Mr Hassan's care.

Today we bid him adieu, as he departed for Damascus with his prizes. Mr Hassan also took Mr Deveril with him in the Lion Chariot, promising to deliver him to Walachia. Mr Deveril has long been anxious to return that dangerous book into the keeping of the monks there.

Saturday, 6 August,

Today we gave our farewells to Miss Metzger. I urged her to return to England with us, but she is determined to return to her home town and resume her life there. She took with her the knife which our Mystics wrested from Herr Bopp, so she could return it to some beneficent purpose among the Witches.
I hope she will be alright. I asked her to write and let us know how she is getting on.
We finished up some shopping and sightseeing, and packed for tomorrow's departure.

Sunday, 7 August 1870

We are en route to Naples today. Mr Frazer and Inspector MacGregor saw the rest of us off at the train station prior to their own departure for Belgium and thence home to England. We will see them again in a week or so.

In addition to the more ordinary tourist sites, Sir Cosmo is taking us to meet Mrs Mary Fairfax Somerville, with whom he has corresponded for some time. Sir Cosmo was kind enough to share one of the volumes of her book, The Mechanism of Heaven, and I have just begun to read it. I am looking forward to meeting her.

Monday, 8 August 1870

Our visit to Mrs Fairfax was marvelous! Her conversation was utterly illuminating. Even Edward was relatively well behaved, and I think he even learned something.
I asked the hotel Concierge for a translation of "I will not demolish buildings without permission," so now Edward can write that 50 times in Italian, too.
The food here is terrible.

Tuesday, 9 August 1870

Another day of sightseeing and shopping. Edward and I paid particular attention to the architecture in each of the neighborhoods we visited. Well, actually, Edward looked at the architecture, and I watched him like a hawk. This strategy seems to have worked, as we left no smoking rubble in our wake.

Wednesday, 10 August 1870

We are on the train to Paris. This is a relatively new rail line, I am told, and it takes a great deal of time off this journey. Even so, I am a bit weary of trains. I have assigned Edward to write an essay about the architecture of Naples. I myself will spend some of the trip writing additional copies of the Moth paper, in the hopes of arranging meetings with some of the Naturalists of my acquaintance who live and work in Paris.
I am wondering what Paris will be like. I hope to be able to gather some further gifts for my mother and sisters, and some good books which I was unable to find in Metz.

Thursday, 11 August 1870

First thing this morning, I sent a note to Monsieur Lheureux (author of an excellent monograph on damselfly life cycles) and to Monsieur Maillet (whose work on apple tree pollination was so useful to me in my own work) in the hopes of making a visit before we depart on Sunday.

Breakfast was lovely, bread and butter with apricot preserves, and tea… no sausage, no kippers.

We ladies will be setting out shortly in search of the Millinery shops and probably the bookshops.

Friday, 12 August 1870

I attended on M Lheureux this afternoon, in company with Sir Cosmo and Miss Chigwidgeon. He has an extensive collection of insect samples. I promised to send him a few specimens from Somersetshire next time I am home. His English is not good enough for him to understand the Moth paper unless I translate it, or so he said. He seemed somewhat perplexed when I said that I had written it, not Peter. I tried to change the subject.

I was not able to get an appointment with M Maillet, as he is out at his country establishment at this time of year, watching the bees.

Saturday, 13 August 1870

I am quite pleased with the collection of souvenirs for my family. I bought a couple of ladies' books with millinery patterns and decorative guides to bring to my mother and sisters. I also bought several storybooks in French for the girls.

I got some handkerchiefs for my Father and my brothers-in-law, and some small lengths of silks to make cravats for all of them and for Mr Frazer.

Tomorrow we will be departing very early, so I must finish this writing and pack up this book shortly. This trip has been very broadening, but I will certainly be glad to return to England.

Proceed to Should hate to make a scene

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