Der eigene Schlüssel

What it is about

“My harem was in danger.” That is how a man of eighty-seven begins the story of his life, and he means it more seriously than he admits. Hubert de la Verrière grows up during the war in a large house where the bells have fallen silent, the women sit around the paraffin lamp in a thunderstorm and an aunt waits with a towel when he runs out into the park. He learns early never to ask for anything, and swears never to depend on anyone or anything.

With three passports and a key of his own in his pocket he sets out into the world. In Zurich he invents himself a degree and learns Swiss German over beer with the typesetters; later he negotiates in Hong Kong, Cairo and Delhi and outlasts ten Chinese negotiators working in shifts. He talks a senior army doctor round, leaves a monastery prefect standing, and ends up in a château in Burgundy that has fifty keys. Two women belong to this life: Marguerite, who listened, and Selena, who asked. For one he remains the gentleman; for the other he buys a house within a few days and only afterwards realises what he has done.

“A house can be sold again. It pins you down all the same.” A wartime childhood, three passports, one life. In German.