Chapter 187: The Weight of a Lie

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Pov of Maximiliam

18-August-1921

’’Very well... That should suffice... Your... Ah... Majesty, we have administered a liter of plasma compatible with your son’s blood. We trust it will help his bleeding subside more readily. I do not wish to suggest that this is a cure, but in our investigations and among the cases we attend to daily at this hospital, we have observed a considerable improvement in coagulation following the administration of plasma’’ I said as I reviewed my patient’s records.

’’Excellent. Is it more effective than an ordinary blood transfusion?’’ asked one of the members of the Romanov family... The former tsar.

’’For our present purpose, yes, Your Majesty. Blood contains other constituents, such as red blood cells, which must be replenished when a patient has suffered substantial blood loss. In this instance, however, we are seeking to improve coagulation so that we may obtain a small sample from your son with less risk of prolonged bleeding at the puncture site. Naturally, we shall maintain the dressing and keep him under observation. I must also ask that you give him no medication without consulting us first, particularly aspirin, as it could aggravate the bleeding. With these precautions and the treatment, we hope to alleviate some of the limitations he has endured until now’’ I said, clasping my hands as I spoke with a certain nervousness.

’’Ah, thank God... You cannot imagine how reassuring it is to think that my son will be able to do more things’’ said the former tsar’s wife, looking at me with glistening eyes as she knelt beside the bed, holding her son’s hands.

’’It is a great satisfaction to me as well, Your Majesty. Your son’s condition... Forgive me if my words seem indelicate, but it presents a medical problem we have yet to resolve. We know that his blood contains platelets, so their mere presence is insufficient to explain why the bleeding persists. We suspect that some substance necessary for coagulation is lacking, or that it does not act as it should, but we cannot yet say precisely what it is. His Excellency the Herzog has devoted considerable funds to these investigations. I have a well-equipped laboratory at my disposal and numerous specialists working alongside me. It will not be a brief undertaking, but this modest advance gives us reason to hope that your son may lead a somewhat more comfortable life’’ I said with a smile as I looked at the young man, who was listening with a smile of his own, surrounded by his family.

’’Will I be able to... Play ball... Or ride a horse?’’ he asked me, still smiling.

’’For the present, I would advise against it, Your Highness. The improvement we have observed after administering plasma is clear, but those activities remain far too hazardous. We do not yet know with sufficient certainty how long its effect lasts. We now have a line of inquiry to pursue and better means of treating some of your hemorrhages, along with the swelling and pain that accompany them. Nevertheless, it would be imprudent of me to permit you to exert yourself or risk a fall. The treatment helps you, but the disease remains’’ I said, endeavoring to maintain a kindly expression as I watched the family’s smiles fade.

’’And how long will it take to find a cure? Can you give us any estimate?’’ asked the former tsar. He folded his arms with a troubled expression before bending down to take one of his son’s hands.

’’I wish I could offer you a definite answer, Your Majesty, but we are only now in a position to extend our studies. Until now, the samples we were able to obtain from your son were very small, which considerably restricted our examinations. Furthermore, once blood deteriorates, it is no longer suitable for certain tests. If we can obtain further samples with greater safety, we will be able to compare our findings and make steadier progress. I would not say that we are beginning from nothing, but we can now undertake a far more thorough investigation. This hospital has placed its facilities at the service of that endeavor. I give you my word, as I gave it to the Herzog, that I will devote as many years of work as necessary to the search for a cure’’ I said earnestly, looking at his parents.

’’Thank you... Truly... You cannot imagine how reassuring it is to know that there is a group of physicians who understand what they are doing. My son’s previous physicians gave him aspirin... And now you tell me that it could have worsened his condition. May God guide your hands and allow you to discover what my son lacks so that he may lead a normal life’’ said the former tsar, still holding Aleksei’s hand.

’’Thank you, Your Majesty... But I must ask you to remain in Riga. When we obtained our first favorable results with plasma, you were traveling through Romania and Greece. Had you been here, we could have made progress sooner. We will need further samples from your son, and perhaps from some of you as well, to make comparisons and better understand the nature of his disease. That is why it is so important that we examine him regularly. Here, we can obtain compatible plasma and blood to treat him whenever necessary. I implore you to refrain from further travel for the present, or at least allow His Highness Aleksei to remain in Riga under our observation’’ I said, clasping my hands before stepping over to the clipboard.

’’I understand... I will do everything possible to ensure that Aleksei remains in Riga so you can perform whatever examinations are necessary, even when I must be away on certain journeys’’ said the former tsar, nodding as he looked at his wife.

’’I am greatly reassured to hear that, Your Majesty. For the present, it would be advisable for your son to rest a little longer before returning home. Now, if Your Majesties will excuse me, I must withdraw to make use of the blood samples we have obtained and continue our investigations’’ I said, bowing my head before collecting my clipboard and making my way toward the laboratory.

I left the room, which had been prepared for that patient’s sole occupancy, and headed for my laboratory. However, one of the hospital’s physicians soon intercepted me.

’’Director Maximilian, how fortunate to find you. I was just looking for you’’ said the physician, stopping in front of me.

’’What is the matter? I have little time to spare. I must conduct some tests of the utmost importance now that we have sufficient samples’’ I replied, frowning slightly as I drummed my fingers against the back of the clipboard.

’’We have received a rather important patient who insists on being seen by the hospital’s foremost specialist in bacterial diseases. He has requested you... By name, so he knows whom he is looking for’’ explained the physician, pursing his lips.

’’Very well... I suppose I can spare a few moments for a demanding patient’’ I said, adjusting my glasses with one finger before indicating that he should lead me to him.

’’This way, Director’’ replied the physician as he proceeded down the corridor.

We went downstairs and entered the section of the hospital set aside for general consultations. There I saw a gentleman wearing an impeccably tailored suit and what appeared to be rather expensive clothing. He held a briefcase in his hands.

’’Here is the physician you requested: Director Maximilian’’ said my colleague, gesturing toward me as the stranger fixed his gaze on me.

’’It is a pleasure to meet you, Director. Being attended by a Nobel laureate is an honor afforded to very few’’ said the gentleman, removing his hat with a smile.

’’Have you performed the preliminary examination? Have you listened to his chest and examined his throat for inflammation?’’ I asked my colleague.

’’Ah... No. He refused to let us examine him until you arrived’’ replied the physician.

’’Very well... Let us step into that examination room and see what troubles you’’ I said, indicating a closed door.

The gentleman followed me without another word.

’’Tell me, what complaints have you had recently? Have you been diagnosed with a bacterial infection? That is why I was summoned’’ I said, closing the door and taking a seat.

’’In truth, I have no complaints, Doctor Maximilian’’ replied the gentleman.

’’Then why did you request to see me?’’ I asked, raising an eyebrow.

’’My employer has instructed me to deliver an offer of employment to you personally. I represent the interests of Burroughs Wellcome & Co., a British company that has recently acquired rights to the penicillin patent purchased some time ago from the German state. However, although the documentation provides a fairly extensive theoretical account of your discovery, it omits numerous technical details essential to putting it into practice. My employer has therefore authorized me to offer you a position with very generous remuneration, provided you are willing to leave this institution, where your abilities apparently are not being put to their proper use’’ said the representative, opening his briefcase with a loud click of the clasps.

’’If that is your sole reason for coming, you are wasting your time. If you believe my abilities are being squandered here, you are sorely mistaken. We work for the people of the Baltic Duchy and have made several advances that we will publish in scientific journals in due course’’ I said, frowning.

’’My employer is prepared to offer you a salary of three thousand pounds sterling, together with a house of your own and payment of all expenses associated with your relocation to the British Isles. He will also place a research laboratory entirely at your disposal, where you may apply your technical knowledge. We understand that you developed the machinery required to purify penicillin and the subsequent procedures. We are particularly interested in your experience with that work, as well as the cautions you expressed concerning its administration’’ said the representative of the British pharmaceutical company.

’’I will not betray my employer for money. If you take me for that sort of man, you are profoundly mistaken. You had best leave at once, before I summon the police to investigate whether this constitutes an attempt at espionage’’ I said, looking at the Briton with undisguised displeasure.

’’I will be staying near the harbor during my time in Riga. Should you reconsider, you may find me at this address’’ he replied, handing me a small card before rising and leaving the examination room.

’’I am a damned fraud’’ I muttered, taking the card and tearing it into as many pieces as I could while clenching my teeth.

’’What was wrong with the patient?’’ asked the physician, who soon approached when he saw me emerge.

’’Nothing. He came to offer me employment. He wanted me to move to England to help them produce penicillin. Apparently, they hold the patent rights but lack the machinery required to manufacture it, so they are unable to put them to use’’ I said, looking in the direction the representative had gone.

’’Damn it... I will notify the police that we have a possible spy here. Please forgive me for troubling you, Director’’ said the physician, lowering his head.

’’You have no reason to apologize. That man knew what he was doing and played his cards well to secure an audience with me’’ I replied, still annoyed, before resuming my way toward the hospital laboratory.

Without another word, I walked to the hospital laboratory. At last, there were no further interruptions. Upon reaching my workbench, I found a dozen of the finest physicians who could be assembled in the duchy: thoroughly trained professionals with years of study and experience.

Unlike me, who was nothing more than the greatest fraud in the world, with a Nobel Prize to my name. At twenty-seven, I had received one of the most prestigious honors in existence thanks to one of the greatest lies of my life, a lie they never ceased rubbing in my face.

Nor could I confess it, because it was part of my agreement with the Herzog. I had to bear the weight of that lie, which brought me prestige and recognition, though I felt I deserved neither. Both penicillin and the vaccine had originated in his ideas. My part had merely been to make them a reality. Beside the achievements of so many others, I felt like an impostor.

Nevertheless, I still held on to one hope of redemption... The investigation of that disease afflicting so many noble families. If I could find a cure, I would at least have a discovery I could consider my own. I could clear my name in my own eyes.

’’Maximilian, will you need more plasma? It is no simple matter to assemble enough donors of the same blood group to prepare what that young nobleman...and king waldemar requires’’ said one of the physicians, who was working with a centrifuge to separate the cellular components of the blood and obtain the plasma we used to treat Aleksei.

’’A liter or two, in case an emergency arises. Let me know if the machine gives you any trouble; I had to assemble it in far too much haste’’ I said, approaching to examine my creation.

’’No, it works perfectly. You need not worry’’ replied the physician.

’’Maximilian, I have finished preparing the slides with the blood samples. You may begin examining them now’’ said another of the physicians, handing me several glass slides bearing preparations of the young Romanov’s blood.

’’Very well... To work’’ I said, taking the samples and carrying them to the microscope I had modified to suit the needs of the investigation.

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If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.

Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.

I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.

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