At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances Quiz

Answer: May 1

In the beginning of this story, it's Professor Von Igelfeld's birthday. He usually remembers it because it falls on the same day as May Day, so he decides to leave for work early and have an extra ten minute break. During this time, he sits in Professor Unterholzer's comfy chair in the coffee room. Since Von Igelfeld feels that he, as senior scholar, should receive the comfiest chair, and Unterholzer, whose work is rarely mentioned when referring to romance philology should not, he quickly snatches it before anyone else arrives.

While reminiscing about the past years, Von Igelfeld's colleagues enter and seem to be shocked because he took the chair, but soon, they remember Von Igelfeld's birthday and decide that they don't mind. Von Igelfeld is relieved by this, and the group foolishly talks about barons and titles.

Answer: Unterholzer

During the brief talk over coffee, Von Igelfeld's colleagues ask him if he's ever going to write an autobiography, but he decides that he'd like to go somewhere for a while. He thinks back and remembers Professor Zimmermann enjoying his trip to Cambridge and mentions this. Unterholzer takes this opportunity to call the German Scholarly Exchange Programme and book a six month trip for Von Igelfeld so that he can take his spacious office while he's away. Von Igelfeld arrives at Cambridge University and his porter immediately talks about ubiquitious things. Von Igelfeld determines that the English talk much differently than Germans, and half of the time, they make foolish comments that can't be taken seriously.

After briefly talking about his old schoolmate and Sigmund Freud, Von Igelfeld witnesses the porter crying about how much he needs to do in life before being shown his room.

He has a view of the courtyard, but there's no washroom in the room. The porter tells him that he has to share a bathroom with one other individual on the floor, Professor Waterfield. Von Igelfeld decides that he needs to explain to Waterfield that he shall be in control of the washroom at most times.

Answer: Professor Joseph Portman

After arriving at Cambridge University and settling into his room, Von Igelfeld immediately takes to the library. Soon he's invited by the Master of the university for sherry with the professors and he meets everyone. During a conversation with a particularly attractive professor, Dr. C. A. D. Wood, they talk about disagreements among mathematicians, but the Master breaks up their conversation. Dr. C. A. D. Wood suspects that the Master is scheming against her and the other professors, and she tells this to Von Igelfeld to warn him. Von Igelfeld is placed on the university council since he's an important guest, and he suggests putting a plaque up on a tree in the courtyard outside his window in order to remember the founder of the university, William de Courcey.

The Master instantly disposes of the idea. During the meeting, Von Igelfeld recognizes the porter that showed him to his room sitting among the council. Soon, he realizes that he has been giving tips to the famous Dr. Porter of Cambridge University.

After a disappointing council meeting, Von Igelfeld decides to feel positive about an upcoming lecture from opera writer, Matthew Gurewitsch. He also focuses on his upcoming lectures.

Answer: Dr. Haughland

Until opera writer, Matthew Gurewitsch arrives, Von Igelfeld busies himself in the Cambridge library sorting through papers about Hughes-Davitt Bequest so that he can write his own paper. Finally, the opera writer does arrive and Von Igelfeld introduces himself and shows the man into his room (which is a floor below his own). Gurewitsch asks about bathrooms and Von Igelfeld tries to steer him away from his own shared bathroom to prevent anyone from crowding.

He also ends up introducing Gurewitsch to Dr. C. A. D. Wood in the study room and she introduces them to Dr. Plank (Haughland).

While in the courtyard, Dr. C. A. D. Wood and Dr. Hall tell Von Igelfeld that Dr. Plank is trying to side with the master in a vote later that night. In order to sway the vote for the better, Von Igelfeld must vote with the right doctors and Professors or else Gurewitsch may need to return to the United States without giving a lecture. Von Igelfeld decides to help out for the sake of Gurewitsch and for the sake of the College.

Answer: The beheading of William de Courey

During the college feast, Von Igelfeld prepares to vote with Dr. C. A. D. Wood and Dr. Hall in order to dethrone the current college master, but only after a pleasant conversation with Matthew Gurewitsch about the "Trovatore". During dinner, the master of the college makes a beautiful speech about Cambridge and what the feast means to him and everyone feels emotional. Dr. C. A. D. Wood and Dr. Hall decide that they were being too harsh and call off the change in the vote in order to keep the master.

After the feast, Von Igelfeld decides to confess to Gurewitsch about the bathroom he's been hiding, but Gurewitsch confesses that he knew and already used it.

Answer: A button

When Von Igelfeld returns from his fascinating voyage to Cambridge College, he reminisces about his wonderful trip. After the feast, Von Igelfeld has a pleasant stay ar Professor Waterfield's luxurious clubhouse where they argue about the meaning behind useless clubs. Von Igelfeld feels that every club should have a purpose, but Waterfield says that they can't even speak of a purpose within the club. Upon his return to Germany, Von Igelfeld is so excited to be home that he arrives at the university earlier than the librarian (who has great news for Von Igelfeld).

When he returns to his office, Von Igelfeld searches for signs of Unterholzer, who would have most definitely tried to steal his office through the duration of the trip. He tries using a blotter to read a pad of paper and the librarian says that Unterholzer did the same thing after Von Igelfeld departed.

When he returns to his office, Von Igelfeld finds a brown button, much like one on Unterholzer's suits, and he stows it away so that he can reveal it in front of everyone while they drink their morning coffee.

After revealing it, it turns out that Unterholzer is able to identify the button, but it fell off of the cuff of Von Igelfeld's suit.

Answer: Colombia

When Von Igelfeld returns from his voyage and has his coffee break with his colleagues, the librarian brings up the news in front of everyone in order to suppress the humiliation that Von Igelfeld felt with the whole 'button issue'. The news was that Senor Gabriel Marcales de Cinco Fermentaciones from the Colombian Embassy had requested "Portuguese Irregular Verbs".

The entire staff of the romance philology department was ecstatic because their university had been regarded as a great place for scholars to understand romance philology. Eight days later, Von Igelfeld got a letter from the embassy stating that he won an award of the highest honour and that he could come to Bogota to participate in the awards ceremony.

Answer: Himself

When Von Igelfeld and the cultural attaché arrived in Bogota, Von Igelfeld was allowed to enter restricted areas and find shortcuts to his hotel due to Cinco Fermentaciones' signed forms. Of course, he was able to get these forms by stealing one of the ambassador's stamps.

At the hotel, Von Igelfeld is disturbed by the fact that it may be too dangerous to leave the hotel, so he remains there until his award ceremony. After this, he become a member of the Academy in Bogota, and Cinco Fermentaciones pressures him to suggest him for membership. Feeling used, but acting with good manners, Von Igelfeld recommends his guide for a membership and they head off to the reclusive Villa of Reduced Circumstances.

Answer: Pedro

Upon arriving at the Villa of Reduced Circumstances, Von Igelfeld meets the owner, Dolores Quinte Barranquilla. During dinner, he and Cinco Fermentaciones introduce the fact that Von Igelfeld has become a member of the Academy, and that he is nominating Cinco.

They have a great dinner with a good conversation, but the circumstances seem greatly reduced. The next morning, Von Igelfeld enters the sitting room to find that, ironically, guerrillas from the Movimento Veintitrés have taken over the Villa.

They end up talking over diner, and the leader, Pedro, turns out to be a nice guy. Von Igelfeld somewhat enjoys his company when he realizes they won't be killed but he wakes up the following morning to hear gunfire. The guerrillas are fighting the Colombian Army. Barranquilla takes Von Igelfeld to her study with a rifle and tells him to shoot anyone who makes it up the path so that they aren't killed for being traitors to the guerrillas, and when the time arises, he actually fires a shot. Luckily, the shot misses, but the Columbian Army surrenders the province.

Answer: President

After the surrender of the Colombian Army, Von Igelfeld requests a return to Germany, but in Cinco Fermentaciones' Bogota home, he is informed that he will obtain a government position under Pedro's new ruling. At a ceremony, Pedro informs him that he can become President, and he accidentally manages to obtain the position.

He manages to refuse a document that declares war against Ecuador before being informed that he could be assassinated within a few weeks, and he speaks with the German Ambassador about a visit home.

When he arrives in Germany, he visits the Institute and has coffee with his colleagues. During this time, he bestows the First Class Order of the Andes upon Huber, Prinzel, and Unterholzer before resigning as President. In the end, he spends his time looking for signs of Unterholzer in his office, and he contemplates what he should really be focusing on in his life.