Like a true professional, Archduchess Marianne begins with an overview of the events – what exactly happened, when and where, how it happened, and who was involved. She describes the case of Princess Schwarzenberg in a detailed and methodical way, with all its parts and sidelines kept in proper proportion. For her audience, as well as for my readers, it’s a welcome recapitulation that helps them orient themselves in the maze of distracting details and clues. Curiously, all these facts had always been publicly known – and some of them had even been witnessed, and could be confirmed, by the listening party. Yet Marianne’s recounting subtly changes the tone of the case, casting the misunderstood Princess Schwarzenberg in a more sympathetic light.
Now that the Princess’s reputation has been restored, should we call for the carriages and let our coachmen drive us home? Or perhaps just stretch our legs before refilling our glasses? As the attentive reader will have noticed, one essential question is still missing from that list above – the question why. The mere description of what happened has not yet touched upon the reasons behind the events.
That means the real denouement has not even begun.
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