books and articles for the FT. Simmons sees his days up in London for the Fort-sorts as enormous fun. I ask if he minds staying behind to talk to me. "Oh no, nothing pleases me more than a long indulgent chat about Forteana."
Sieveking himself is today wearing baggy cut-off shorts and sandals, and is in desperate need of a haircut. "I love it," he says. "The surreal nature, the black humor, that pricking of