▁together , ▁both ▁boys ▁study ▁at ▁Halle ▁– ▁Ad rian ▁studies ▁the ology ; ▁Zeit bl om ▁does ▁not , ▁but ▁particip ates ▁in ▁discuss ions ▁with ▁the ▁the ological ▁students ▁– ▁but ▁Ad rian ▁becomes ▁absor bed ▁in ▁musical ▁harm ony , ▁counter point ▁and ▁poly phony ▁as ▁a ▁key ▁to ▁met aph ys ics ▁and ▁myst ic ▁numbers , ▁and ▁follows ▁K ret z sch mar ▁to ▁Leipzig ▁to ▁study ▁with ▁him . ▁ ▁Zeit bl om ▁describes ▁" with ▁a ▁religious ▁sh ud der " ▁Ad rian ' s ▁em brace ▁with ▁the ▁woman ▁who ▁gave ▁him ▁sy ph ilis ▁( wh om ▁Ad rian ▁names ▁" Es mer al da " ▁after ▁the ▁but ter fly ▁that ▁fasc in ates ▁his ▁father ), ▁how ▁he ▁worked ▁her ▁name ▁in ▁note - ci ph ers ▁into ▁his ▁compos itions , ▁and ▁how ▁the ▁med ics ▁who ▁sought ▁to ▁he al ▁him ▁were ▁all ▁prevent ed ▁from ▁effect ing ▁a ▁c ure ▁by ▁myster ious ▁and ▁dead ly ▁inter vent ions . ▁Zeit bl om ▁begins ▁to ▁perce ive ▁the ▁demon ic , ▁as ▁Ad rian ▁develop s ▁other ▁friend ships , ▁first ▁with ▁the ▁transl ator ▁R üd iger ▁Sch ild kn app , ▁and ▁then ▁after ▁his ▁move ▁to ▁Mun ich ▁with ▁the ▁hand some ▁young ▁viol in ist ▁R udi ▁Sch wer dt f eg er , ▁Frau ▁Rod de ▁and ▁her ▁do omed ▁daughters ▁Clar issa ▁and ▁In es , ▁a ▁num ism at ist ▁named ▁Dr