55-57 The Strange Way of Great Ideas

In Chapter 55 we learn of another complication in Arnheim's situation: his servant, Soliman, has hated him ever since "he was promoted from the undefined status of pet kept in luxury to that of a servant with free board and lodging and a small wage." Soliman tells Rachel, Diotima's servant, exotic stories exaggerating his own importance and Arnheim's plans "to sell him back to his father for a staggering sum." Rachel is fooled by Soliman's stories, but she "believed them because nothing connected with the Parallel Campaign could be incredible enough."

In the meantime, as the next chapter's title states, "The Parallel Campaign Committees Seethe with Activity."  Count Leinsdorf, "even if His Grace was not in sympathy with everything they asked for . . . felt that the Parallel Campaign was in good order and clearly on its way."

Regard the flood of letters inundate the ministry we learn of the application of "magic formula: 'Fi.' . . . widely used in the Kakanian civil service," which stands for "Filed for later decision." The reason for this is quite simple: "We can't yes and we can't say no as long as we have no really firm idea what our central goal is."

But Diotima was not as sanguine a as Leinsdorf, especially in regard to her research of the Great Ideas that are to drive the campaign: "Ideals have curious properties, and one of them is that they turn into their opposites when one tries to live up to them."  Leinsdorf favors the slogan "Emperor of Peace," but Diotima goes for "Year of Austria."  Leinsdorf expresses his concern about Diotima's "idea" in this way:

"A Year of Austria is a fine idea, it seems to me, and I have in fact already told the fellows from the press myself that the public imagination should be steered in that direction. But once we've agreed on that, what d we do in this Austrian Year -- have you thought of that, my dear? That, you see, is the problem!"

But Diotima goes one step further:

"The campaign is no good at all unless it culminates in a great symbol. . . . It must seize the heart of the world, but it also needs some influence from above; there is no denying that. An Austrian Year is a brilliant suggestion, but in my opinion a World Year would be still finer, a World-Austrian Year, in which Europe could recognize Austria as its true spiritual home"

Diotima's "spiritual audacity" startles Leinsdorf, but when he asks her "What have you come up with to do in this World Year?" he is relieved to find out that Diotima doesn't know.

"Count," she said after some hesitation, "that is the hardest question in the world to answer. I intend as soon as possible to invite a circle of the most distinguished men, poets and philosophers, and I will wait to hear what this group has to say before I say anything."

Nothing pleases Leinsdorf more than the idea of a further "postponement" of the working out of the Great Idea.