A More Perfect Heaven

by Dava Sobel

  GIESE. Don’t give in to such dark thoughts, Johann. Pray with me now. “Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name …”

  GIESE keeps praying, whispering under the BISHOP’s lines, speaking louder between them.

  BISHOP. That’s why you keep your canonry here, isn’t it? You want to have your foot in the door, so when I die …

  GIESE. “Give us this day our daily bread. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us …”

  BISHOP. Why didn’t I see it before? Why else would you remain a canon here in Varmia?

  GIESE. “Amen.”

  BISHOP. You should give up your canonry!

  GIESE. What?!

  BISHOP. You have no right to be a canon here any longer.

  GIESE. Don’t be silly, Johann. I have every right …

  BISHOP. I want you to resign. Right now. You should step down of your own volition. Don’t make me force you out.

  GIESE. You cannot force me to … It’s a lifetime appointment. Everyone knows that.

  BISHOP. Nevertheless, you are free to leave it.

  GIESE. Why would I? I rely on my income from the canonry.

  BISHOP. You’re Bishop of Kulm now.

  GIESE. Kulm is such a poor diocese. You know that better than anyone, Johann. When you were Bishop of Kulm …

  BISHOP. You cannot be Bishop of Kulm and canon of Varmia, too.

  GIESE. Of course I can. You did. When you were Bishop of Kulm, you didn’t give up your Varmia canonry.

  BISHOP. What I did has nothing to do with what you should do.

  GIESE. But it’s exactly the same situation. You remained a canon here the whole time you were Bishop of Kulm. If you hadn’t done that, you could never have been elected Bishop of Varmia.

  BISHOP. Aha! You admit it, then! You do want to take my place!

  GIESE. I’m older than you, Johann. I’m not likely to outlive you.

  BISHOP. Not likely, no. Except in the event of my untimely death.

  GIESE. You cannot accuse me of such treachery!

  BISHOP. Can’t I?

  GIESE. It’s the principle of the thing. And the income, of course. And I … I still belong to this community. These are my lifelong friends. Nicholas and I go back …

  BISHOP. Don’t expect your friend Nicholas to come to your rescue now. He’s on very shaky ground himself.

  GIESE. Nicholas?! He keeps all of us alive!

  BISHOP. I could have him excommunicated.

  GIESE. Have you gone mad, Johann?

  BISHOP. I refuse to look the other way any longer while that harlot comes and goes as she pleases.

  GIESE. You mean the housekeeper?

  BISHOP. Housekeeper, harlot. What’s the difference? What do you take me for? A simpleton? You think I don’t know a harlot when I see one?

  GIESE. But he has trained her, Johann. About herbs and … Medicinal herbs, I mean. She makes … medicines. She …

  BISHOP. I had no idea you were so fond of her, Tiedemann. Why don’t you take her home with you? That would solve everything. The harlot goes. Nicholas is absolved. And you are content to stay home in Kulm with your Lutherans and your new concubine.

  Blackout. The choir chants Lauds.

  SCENE v. TOWER ROOM

  WORLD MACHINE

  Dim lights reveal the tower room as small and spare, dusty from disuse, almost scary, with minuscule windows and a low door. The furnishings include a table and chair, a cot, and the World Machine, a globe-like nest of intersecting rings, about the size of a manned spacecraft capsule, perched on a pedestal.

  RHETICUS. (offstage) Where are you taking me, sir?

  COPERNICUS. (offstage) Only a little farther now.

  RHETICUS. (offstage) But where … ?

  COPERNICUS. (offstage) We’re nearly there … Ah!

  COPERNICUS enters, breathless, with a lantern.

  COPERNICUS. Here we are.

  RHETICUS follows him in, stays close.

  COPERNICUS. You can stay here.

  RHETICUS. Here?

  COPERNICUS. This is it.

  RHETICUS. What is this place?

  COPERNICUS. You’ll be safe here.

  RHETICUS. Is it your observatory?

  COPERNICUS. This? No.

  RHETICUS. Not a prison cell, is it?

  COPERNICUS. Oh, no. It’s a retreat. A safe house. We all have rooms like this.

  When there’s danger, from outside, we come up here, and … and we stay here until … until it’s safe to leave.

  RHETICUS. You really expect me to stay here?

  COPERNICUS. No one will think to look here now. In peacetime.

  RHETICUS. For how long?

  COPERNICUS. Just till tonight.

  RHETICUS. The whole day?!

  COPERNICUS. After sunset, you can go. As soon as it’s dark, I’ll come fetch you.

  RHETICUS. You’re not staying with me?

  COPERNICUS. No.

  RHETICUS. But now we have all day.

  COPERNICUS. I can’t stay with you. I have to …

  RHETICUS. Oh, please. Stay and seize this day with me. Look how God has provided a space of time for us, after all. This is our chance to talk. One mathematician to another. I …

  RHETICUS sees the Machine.

  RHETICUS. What’s that?

  COPERNICUS. That?

  RHETICUS. What is it?

  COPERNICUS. Just … something I made.

  RHETICUS. You built it?

  COPERNICUS. A long time ago.

  RHETICUS. But what is it? Some kind of observing instrument?

  COPERNICUS. No. No, it’s … more of a model, really.

  RHETICUS. Like an armillary sphere?

  COPERNICUS. You might say.

  RHETICUS. Only larger.

  COPERNICUS. Yes.

  RHETICUS. Much larger.

  COPERNICUS. I don’t use it anymore.

  RHETICUS. Why so big?

  COPERNICUS. Well, the person inside needs room to …

  RHETICUS. There’s someone inside it?!

  COPERNICUS. Not now.

  RHETICUS. No. But a person could … ?

  COPERNICUS. Yes. The person has to sit inside it, to get the effect.

  RHETICUS. And what effect would that be? Inside?

  COPERNICUS. The sense of … the consequences, really, of my theory.

  RHETICUS. So, you sat in there, while you were figuring out how to … ?

  COPERNICUS. No. I stood out here, to operate it.

  RHETICUS. Someone else was inside?

  COPERNICUS. Yes.

  RHETICUS. So you did have a student? Before me?

  COPERNICUS. No.

  RHETICUS. Then why … ?

  COPERNICUS. No, I made this for my … for a friend. Someone who couldn’t grasp the mathematical concepts. Who needed a way to … visualize the spheres.

  RHETICUS. You certainly went to a lot of trouble.

  COPERNICUS. I suppose I did.

  RHETICUS. For your friend.

  COPERNICUS. Yes. Well, then. You wait here, and …

  RHETICUS. Could I try it?

  COPERNICUS. No, I don’t think so.

  RHETICUS. I’d really like to see what it does.

  COPERNICUS. No one’s used it in years. I doubt it still works.

  RHETICUS. Let’s try it and see.

  COPERNICUS. There’s no need. You, of all people, can follow the math.

  RHETICUS fumbles about the Machine, looking for a way in.

  RHETICUS. I was hoping to read your work, sir. I didn’t know I could ride in it.

  COPERNICUS. Don’t touch that.

  RHETICUS. How do you get in?

  COPERNICUS. Not there. No, not like that.

  RHETICUS. Show me, then. Please.

  COPERNICUS. Let go of that. It’s over here. You climb in through here.

  RHETICUS dives in, but finds entry a struggle.

  RHETICUS. This is
a lot smaller than it looks. There’s hardly room to … Your friend must have been half my size.

  COPERNICUS. Maybe you shouldn’t …

  RHETICUS. All right. I’m in.

  COPERNICUS closes the hatch.

  The lights suddenly go out.

  RHETICUS. Oh, my God! What happened?

  COPERNICUS. It will take a moment to …

  Very dim lights come up, just enough to show RHETICUS inside the Machine.

  RHETICUS. It’s pitch-black in here. I can’t see my hand in front of my face.

  COPERNICUS. I’m lighting it now … Just another moment …

  RHETICUS. Stuffy, too. I can hardly breathe.

  COPERNICUS. There!

  Little twinkling star lights appear, as in a planetarium.

  RHETICUS. What the … ?

  COPERNICUS. Do you see anything?

  RHETICUS. Oh, my God!

  COPERNICUS. You see?

  RHETICUS. Oh, dear God. It’s … There are stars everywhere. All around. How did you do that?

  COPERNICUS. Now I turn you.

  RHETICUS. What?

  COPERNICUS. I said, I’ll turn you around now.

  RHETICUS. I can’t hear you.

  COPERNICUS. (grunting with effort, muttering) Turn. I have to turn … ugh …

  RHETICUS. Oh, turn. Is that what you said?

  COPERNICUS. Ugh … It’s stuck. Wait …

  RHETICUS. Should I do something?

  COPERNICUS. No … Ugh … Ah, there it goes!

  RHETICUS is rotated in his seat. He continues rotating slowly through the following dialogue.

  RHETICUS. Good God! What’s happening? Oh, this is … This is unbelievable.

  COPERNICUS. You see? What it does?

  RHETICUS. Oh, sir! You have reproduced the night. The effect is … It’s so lovely. So … Oh, look! The zodiac constellations.

  COPERNICUS. The thing to look for …

  RHETICUS. There’s the Ram, the Bull …

  RHETICUS’s seat gives a lurch.

  RHETICUS. Whoa! What was that?

  His seat speeds up.

  RHETICUS. Oh!

  COPERNICUS. I’m sorry.

  RHETICUS. Merciful heavens!

  COPERNICUS. Something slipped. I’m trying to …

  RHETICUS’s seat slows down.

  RHETICUS. Whew!

  COPERNICUS. I’m sorry. I told you the machine was …

  RHETICUS. Oh, please, continue.

  COPERNICUS. I’m afraid I can’t keep this up much longer.

  RHETICUS’s seat slows down more.

  COPERNICUS. Not as strong as I used to be.

  RHETICUS’s seat slows to a stop. The stage lights return.

  COPERNICUS. You’d better come out now.

  RHETICUS. (emerging from the Machine, wobbly) Oh, my. That was …

  COPERNICUS. Steady, there.

  RHETICUS. I’m still seeing stars.

  COPERNICUS. Let your eyes adjust to the light.

  RHETICUS. Ooh.

  COPERNICUS. Well?

  RHETICUS. Thank you, sir.

  COPERNICUS. Did you find it convincing?

  RHETICUS. Convincing?

  COPERNICUS. Did you?

  RHETICUS. Convincing of what, sir?

  COPERNICUS. Of the motion.

  RHETICUS. Oh, most definitely.

  COPERNICUS. Good. Well, then.

  RHETICUS. All the stars moved. I could see them spinning round and round.

  COPERNICUS. No, the stars didn’t …

  RHETICUS. It was great.

  COPERNICUS. That was you going around. Not the stars.

  RHETICUS. No, I saw the … The stars turned around me.

  COPERNICUS. You turned. In that little seat. That’s the only part that moves.

  RHETICUS. But I didn’t feel it move.

  COPERNICUS. You’re not supposed to.

  RHETICUS. No?

  COPERNICUS. No. That’s just it. You think the stars are turning, but really it’s you turning. Well, it’s really me turning you. And once you realize that it’s you going around, then you make that shift in perception. You see?

  RHETICUS. I’m not sure I do. No.

  COPERNICUS. The machine gives you a physical appreciation. For what the turning of the Earth … You know: how the Earth, by its rotation, makes the stars appear to spin around it. And the planets, too. I tried to build in the planetary effects … the stations and retrogrades … but I had trouble aligning them.

  RHETICUS. Do you mean to say … ?

  COPERNICUS. I think those parts must still be around here, somewhere …

  RHETICUS. Oh, no!

  COPERNICUS. What?

  RHETICUS. You mean, you really do mean to turn the Earth?

  COPERNICUS. You knew that.

  RHETICUS. But … really turn it?

  COPERNICUS. What did you think?

  RHETICUS. I didn’t think you meant to turn it … physically.

  COPERNICUS. How else would it turn, if not physically?

  RHETICUS. It would turn … theoretically. You know. In a hypothetical way. On paper. In order to …

  COPERNICUS. No.

  RHETICUS. Theoretically. Mathematically. But not …

  COPERNICUS. No, the motion is real. Of course it is.

  RHETICUS. Oh, my God.

  COPERNICUS. I thought you understood my work.

  RHETICUS. I …

  COPERNICUS. Didn’t Schöner explain it to you?

  RHETICUS. He, uh … I …

  COPERNICUS. What did he tell you?

  RHETICUS. I don’t think he sees it quite the way you do, sir.

  COPERNICUS. How can that … ?

  RHETICUS. He didn’t mention anything about a real motion.

  COPERNICUS. Are you sure?

  RHETICUS. All he said was … No, he didn’t say anything about …

  COPERNICUS. You mean, he doesn’t understand it either?!

  RHETICUS. I think he must not have interpreted it … literally.

  Beat.

  RHETICUS. Why would he?

  COPERNICUS. Why?!

  RHETICUS. Why would he leap to that conclusion?

  COPERNICUS. Oh, dear God!

  RHETICUS. Honestly, sir, I don’t think anyone realizes exactly what it is that you have in mind.

  COPERNICUS. What can they think I’ve been doing all these years?

  RHETICUS. Even just to … to use the idea as the basis for new calculations, would … But, to claim the motion as reality?!

  COPERNICUS. Yes.

  RHETICUS. I am … dumbstruck. I … Look! You and I. We’re just standing here. The Earth …

  RHETICUS stamps his foot a few times to make the point.

  RHETICUS. It doesn’t move.

  Beat.

  COPERNICUS. Yes it does.

  RHETICUS. You really believe the Earth is … turning?

  COPERNICUS. It’s not a question of belief, Professor. I know it turns.

  A peal of bells begins, continues through the following dialogue.

  RHETICUS. What do you mean, you “know”?

  COPERNICUS. I mean the evidence has convinced me.

  RHETICUS. What evidence?

  COPERNICUS. (hearing the bells) Goodness, the time!

  RHETICUS. You mean the Earth leaves some kind of wake behind it? Like a boat?

  COPERNICUS. I’m sorry. I must leave you now.

  RHETICUS. No, wait a minute.

  COPERNICUS. You must excuse me. I’ll come back to night.

  RHETICUS. Wait!

  COPERNICUS. They’re expecting me in the …

  RHETICUS. Just because I raise a few questions? You walk away?

  COPERNICUS. Don’t you hear the bells? That’s the call to Mass. If I’m not seen in the cathedral, then …

  COPERNICUS exits.

  RHETICUS. Wait!

  The bells continue, grow louder.

  RHETICUS stares at the door, incredulous at what he’s just heard, also furious
and afraid. He glares at the Machine, grabs hold and shakes it.

  Blackout. Pealing turns into tolling of the hour: 12 o’clock.

  SCENE vi. INSIDE COPERNICU S’S HOUSE

  ILLNESS

  About two hours later, GIESE lets himself into the house.

  GIESE. Hello? Nicholas? Are you here?

  ANNA. (offstage) Mikoj?! Oh, thank goodness. I’ve been so worried all this … (entering) Oh! Oh, forgive me, Reverend Father.

  GIESE. He’s not here?

  ANNA. No, Your Reverence.

  GIESE. I was supposed to meet him after Mass.

  ANNA. He wasn’t at Mass?

  GIESE. Of course he was at Mass.

  ANNA. Yes, of course. Of course he was.

  GIESE. And now?

  ANNA bows her head to hide her face.

  GIESE. I understand. What a difficult time this must be for you.

  ANNA. Your Reverence, I … May I confide in you?

  GIESE. You wish to make a confession?

  ANNA. No, just … just to let you know something. A secret. As a good and loyal friend of this house.

  GIESE. You need not tell me anything.

  ANNA. Last night, I …

  GIESE. Now, now, you mustn’t take all the blame on yourself. It’s never one-sided in these situations. I know that. To be frank, I feel I am partly responsible. I’ve known about it all along. And yet I said nothing. As Nicholas’s friend, I should have counseled him. I could have saved him from this … this ridiculous threat. But don’t fret. Nothing bad will happen to him if you are brave and do what’s required of you. Tell me, do you have family who could take you in?

  Beat.

  GIESE. Or a friend, perhaps? Someplace where you know people, where you’ll feel welcome?

  A scuffling sound comes from under the floor, at the trapdoor, and something bumps against it from below.

  ANNA jumps, cries out in fright.

  GIESE. What was that?

  Another thump sounds from the trapdoor.

  COPERNICUS. (offstage; panting, whispering) Anna?

  GIESE. Good heavens!

  COPERNICUS is trying to lift the trapdoor from below.

  GIESE. There’s someone in the passage.

  COPERNICUS. (offstage) Tiedemann? Is that you? Let me up.

  GIESE moves the bench, lifts the door with great difficulty, as COPERNICUS pushes it from below.

  COPERNICUS, panting, drags up the unconscious body of RHETICUS.

  ANNA screams, then recovers herself and moves to help. The three of them pull RHETICUS into the room. ANNA puts her shawl under his head, touches his face.

  ANNA. He’s burning up with fever.

  COPERNICUS, exhausted from the effort, sits on the floor near Rheticus.