«The Night of the Gütsch», unpublished novel (episode 10/10)

Here is the next installment of Swiss author André Durussel’s new novel, which was first published in *Le Regard Libre* throughout 2024.

The day after his arrival, his professional life began at this factory on Obergrundstrasse, where he was expected—now hired as a plant mechanic to maintain and adjust the machinery. A plant mechanic «with good adaptability,» as specified in the job posting he had responded to. The company employed about a hundred workers. It had been founded in 1899 and had initially manufactured gas meters under license from the Berlin-based firm Elster. The water meter division then expanded significantly starting in 1940, featuring bronze housings and a submerged propeller with a vertical axis, topped by a small meter for c