Chapter the Second
Visitors

A Meeting of the Minds


"Now where were we?" asked Grunewald.
"We were talking about differential survival," a grateful Brother Joseph reminded him, "and how individuals can out compete one another depending on the vigor of their forms."
"But," said Mendel, "central to this thesis is the concept of -variation. If all members of a species were the same in form and vigor, then there could never be the type of competition for survival that Herr Darwin imagines. What does Herr Darwin consider to be the origin of this variation?"
After appropriate translation, Mr Giddings replied, "In his book, Darwin addresses this issue at great length. He is of the opinion that 'the most frequent cause of variability may be attributed to the male and female reproductive elements having been affected prior to the act of conception'. Later he goes on to say that 'seedlings from the same fruit, and the young of the same litter, sometimes differ considerably from each other, though both the young and the parents ... have apparently been exposed to exactly the same conditions of life.' Once obvious environmental factors have been ruled out, Mr Darwin says 'this shows how unimportant the direct effects of the conditions of life are in comparison with the laws of reproduction, and of growth, and of inheritance.'"
By now Mendel was becoming more excited. "You mean that Herr Darwin has some ideas as to the mechanism of inheritance?"
"Alas no," Giddings was obliged to tell him, "Darwin has written, 'The laws governing inheritance are quite unknown; no one can say why the same peculiarity in different individuals of the same species, is sometimes inherited and sometimes not so.' It is most unfortunate, but even a person so well aquatinted with the scientific literature as Mr Darwin has not been able to find any reference to the mechanisms of inheritance, or to any laws governing their behavior."
"Perhaps he should have been at your talk yesterday Mendel," laughed Grunewald.

To his annoyance, Klacel laughed along with him. "Indeed," said the rebellious monk, "I think that our 'humble monastery', as Brother Timothy would say, has the answer to Herr Darwin's problem. Gentlemen, you are in the presence of perhaps the only person in the world who understands the laws of inheritance."
Mendel protested at once, "No, no, do not say that Brother Matthew, my works sheds a little light on the problem, maybe, but I cannot say it gives a full illumination or an answer to Herr Darwin's difficulties."
Both Giddings and Brown looked confused and demanded an explanation. Grunewald was the first to help them out.
"Mendel here thinks he knows something about inheritance," he informed his two English friends. "Just yesterday he gave a talk to our local Natural History Society in which he described his experiments into the laws governing plant hybridization. I had some problems with the botany, but Mendel here assured us that his analysis is firmly based on incontrovertible mathematical principles. If he is right, then you should take word to Herr Darwin."
"Is this so?" asked Brown of Mendel.
"Darwin devotes a whole chapter of his book to hybridism," added Giddings, "if you have any new information I am sure that he would be most anxious to hear of it."
Seeing that his friend was about to modestly deny the significance of his work, Klacel stepped in once more. "Brother Gregory's work goes much beyond an analysis of plant hybridization. For several years now he has been studying patterns of inheritance among Pisum species, and from these patterns he is able to make some definite statements concerning the 'elementes' that control variability."

"More than that," Brother Joseph could not help himself, "Brother Gregory's work is a synthesis of scientific ideas that rigorously stem from his application of mathematics, his understanding of the mechanism of heredity and his use of probability to explain the transmission of traits from the germ cells of the parents into the offspring."
At this Mendel could restrain himself no longer. "My friends are very kind, but they give more importance to my work than the data support."
Klacel snorted and swept up a handful of Mendel's notes from the table. "This data is the most extensive I have ever seen. Why, you have followed the inheritance of some of your characters out for 7 to 11 generations!"
"Perhaps, if it would not take you away from your other duties, you could tell us about your work and your conclusions?" asked Brown. "If, as you say, you have come to some insight into the mechanism of heredity, this would be a most important discovery. Herr Darwin, and the British Association would be most anxious to hear of your results."
"We are returning to England in a couple of weeks," Sam Giddings added, "we would be delighted to communicate your findings to Darwin."
"Who knows," Brother Matthew said, impishly, "your work may be the missing link in Herr Darwin's theories. He might include you in the next edition of his book. You would become world famous, Brother Gregory."