| SORCEROUS SIGNALS |
| Written by Robert Collins / Artwork by Holly Eddy |
| Make a donation to this writer |
| Figuring Sums |
"Perhaps you need a few days to think about this,"
Wallace said.
Trent nodded halfheartedly.
"Perhaps you should think about a story or a song
you want to turn into a drama." Wallace patted
him on the shoulder. "Go back to the inn. See
what this fellow wants from you."
"Thank you." Trent nodded once, turned, and
walked out of the theatre.
He had been part of Wallace's company for a year
and several weeks. At first, he was pleased with
his part in the new ‘magic play.’ He enjoyed the
travel, the applause, and the notoriety. The coins
were sometimes lacking, but he had enough.
By autumn he wondered if his spellcasting was
suffering. The only non-company jobs he had
found were fixing poorly-cast streetlights or
putting a handful of new ones up. During the
winter he learned the ‘magic play’ was spreading.
Wallace did create two new plays, but Trent's
spells were merely variations on what he had
already done.
After the company's first public performance in
Morristown, a messenger had approached Trent
with a letter. It was from a man named Allan, who
said he was a jeweler and wanted to speak to him.
It sounded like a hint at an opportunity. With
Wallace's blessing Trent headed for Allan's shop.
As he walked the streets, Trent saw Morristown appeared to be about the same size as his hometown of
Greenford. But Morristown was closer to the center of the kingdom. As such, there were fewer
trademens' stalls and more shops devoted to the buying and selling of goods.
Allan's shop was an island of calm in a storm of commerce. Not only did it appear quiet, but its front
drew scant attention to the slender two-story building. Trent stepped up to a window to make certain
the shop was open. He saw a man with red hair and a round face showing something to a taller man with
graying hair. He went to the door, turned the doorknob, and pushed the door open.
The first thing Trent noticed once he was inside was how stark the shop seemed. There was one
counter; a painting of a family on the wall to Trent's left; to the right, another showing a wedding. There
were no other pictures on the walls, no displays of merchandise, nothing to show what went on inside.
There was a doorway behind the counter leading to a back room. But that door had two locks on it, one
below the doorknob, and one at eye-level.
The red-haired man peered around the taller man to look at Trent. "One moment, sir," he said in a high
voice, "and I'll be with you." The man turned back to the taller and older man. "Will these suffice, Master
Julian?" he asked.
"They shall," the man said in a rumbling voice.
"Give me one week to set them in the necklace."
"Certainly."
"Will that be all, Master Julian?"
"Yes, for now, Master Allan."
"Then, I thank you for your business."
The man nodded to Allan, nodded briefly to Trent, then left the shop.
Allan looked at Trent. "And what may I do for you, good sir?"
"I am Trent, of Greenford. You asked to see me?"
"Trent? Oh, yes, the spellcaster." He shook Trent's right hand vigorously. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you, Master Allan."
The redhead smiled broadly. "Oh, please, you may call me simply by my first name. I am only formal with
my most generous customers. They pay me enough, so it seems appropriate."
"I must say, I almost missed your shop."
"Unfortunately, I must keep my profile low. A jeweler has many valuables in his place of business. Too
much ostentation, and thieves might take notice."
"Thieves don't know about you?"
"The locals do, yes, but they also know of my precautions. Local miscreants rarely bother jewelers, or
they find out the hard way we have many important customers who do not appreciate losing their
valuables. No, it's the outlaw passing through that's more of a concern. They have fast horses and
sharp knives. But, enough about my trade. You've come here to speak to me, yes?"
"Yes."
"Excellent. Well, I have a problem, and I think a clever spellcaster might be able to help me."
"What problem is that?"
"In my business, I sometimes have to travel, to deliver a piece to a customer, or to inspect jewels or
pieces someone wishes to sell. I have customers in all the nearby dukedoms, and a few in slightly more
distant ones."
"You must do great work."
"I like to think so. Of course, I must also admit there are not that many jewelers in the kingdom."
"So, are you asking me to help you conceal your wares when you travel?"
"Oh, no. When I travel I don't do anything to attract attention. Ordinary clothes, no guards, nothing
that would make me appear promising to a bandit. But that leads to my problem. Dealing in jewels
means dealing in large sums. I often have to use two abacuses to calculate prices and values."
Trent thought he understood the nature of the other man's problem. A normal abacus was about as tall
as two hands placed one above the other, and a bit wider. One would be hard to keep hidden in a
saddlebag; more than one would be impossible.
"So, have you thought of getting smaller ones built?" he asked Allan.
"I have. I have also considered getting one built with four columns instead of two. In fact I have one of
them in the back room."
"So what's your problem?"
Allan held up both his hands and wiggled his chubby fingers. "These, young man. It's hard for me to
move those small beads around. The last time I had to use the little thing, I slid two beads instead of
one. The customer thought I was up to something. Then he tried using the beast, and made the same
mistake.
"It's no trouble to get a smaller abacus made. The trouble is moving the beads to get the sums right.
That's the problem I'd like you to solve for me, if you can."
Trent nodded slowly. "I think that's something I can do. Could I have the abacus you had made?"
Allan unlocked the door to the back room and went in to get it. While he was gone, Trent considered
how to solve the problem he was being presented with. It will need movement spells, he mused, and a
powerstone to keep it working. But how to get it to do mathematics? An information spell. Reveal sum,
perhaps? It will be a start, at least.
Allan returned with the abacus. Trent could see why using it was difficult. The beads were about as small
as the tip of a child's little finger.
Trent flicked a few of the beads. "You can't operate this by touch," he said. "You really have to look at it
to use it."
"And you must be dexterous."
"I'll need to cast spells on this, and probably attach a powerstone to it."
"Do whatever you need to do to make it work."
Trent faced Allan. "Would you mind if we discussed my fee?"
"Would two silver and ten copper be sufficient? Because at the moment it's all I can afford."
"Oh, yes."
"I'll pay five copper now, and the rest upon delivery of a working abacus."
"That should be enough for the powerstone, without me dipping into my own savings."
"Good. How long will the work take you?"
"I can start immediately. But I'll need a few days to make certain the spells don't drain the powerstone,
and that the stone can recharge itself. And I do have to keep up my work with Wallace's company."
"How long are you staying in town?"
"Another ten days, I think."
"Then, let us say, you'll contact me in five days to let me know how you're progressing. After that, we
should speak every day. On the tenth day, you need to be finished, or you must give me back my
coppers."
"I'll agree to that." Trent shook hands with Allan. "Well, I have this day to myself, so I'll go back to the
inn and get started. With luck, Allan, I'll have you an abacus you can use without your hands."
* * *
Trent was able to have the abacus modified in less than an hour, and before the sun had set that night
he had the spells in place and had tested the device. Just as he was getting ready to go to bed, another
idea occurred to him. He cast a few more enchantments on the device so that, when the numbers to
calculate were spoken, the beads lined up and actual numbers appeared over the abacus. He wasn't
certain if the effect would reassure Allan's customers, but it might and impress them, too.
He spent the next day away from the stage. He remained at the inn, reading some new spellbooks he
bought, and using the magical abacus to figure anything that popped into his head. He wanted to know
the powerstone could handle extensive use and still recharge itself. The little device worked well
throughout the day. He set it aside at night, and resumed his testing the next day. It carried out its
tasks without trouble or hesitation.
Trent returned to Allan's shop a day ahead of schedule. He presented the rotund jeweler the enchanted
abacus. He showed him how to use it. Allan tested it out himself a few times.
"It's not set to my voice," was the first thing he said to Trent afterward.
"No. That would be another enchantment."
"Would it cost me more to have that enchantment cast?"
"Well, I did think about that, and I don't think any such enchantment should be cast on it."
"Why not?"
"People who see this might think it's some sort of trick to fool them into giving you more, or less, than
you ought to. If they can use it, and it works for them, I think they'll be less suspicious."
"I suppose that's also why the numbers appear."
"Exactly."
"A fair piece of reasoning, young Trent. Well, it appears that you have done what I asked of you. Wait
here and I will get you the rest of your coins."
"Thank you."
Trent called to Allan as the man went to his back room to get Trent's payment. "Might I ask, where you
had that little abacus built?"
"I suppose so. I had Fenwick the toymaker build it for me." Allan emerged from the back room of his
shop. "Why do you ask?"
"Curiosity. I couldn't think of who would build such a thing."
"I had to speak to many craftsmen. As it happened, Fenwick was the only man who could do it." He
smiled and shook his head. "All my traveling, and all that talking, and it's the fellow with the shop a few
streets away who does the job."
He handed Trent his payment. "You've done well, young man. If you ever have need of my services, I
would be happy to give you quite the discount."
"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."
"Excellent. Good luck to you, Trent."
"And to you, Master Allan. And if you ever need my help, let me know."
"I shall. Good day."
"Good day."
Trent left Allan's shop. As he headed back to the inn he allowed his mind to contemplate the day's
events. Well, he thought, this was quite a pleasant diversion. Of course, it still doesn't mean an end to
my troubles with being a performer. I'm still stuck there and unhappy.
Wait. Now, there are other jewelers in the kingdom. No doubt they'll find out what I did for Master
Allan. Once they find out how helpful it is to him, they'll want one for themselves. So if that's true,
should I wait for them to come to me?
They might not even come to me. In fact, unless I am where they are, they probably won't. They'll ask
the local spellcaster, or some caster traveling through their town. So if I wish them to hire me, I'll
need to go to them first. That means I'll have to have a few more built.
Trent hurried back to the inn. He joined the company for dinner before their performance. He managed
to get Wallace to eat with him at a separate table. He wanted to discuss his thoughts with someone, and
Wallace was the only person he felt he could do so. After telling him what happened, and revealing his
thoughts about selling more enchanted abacuses to other jewelers, Trent asked Wallace, "Do you think
it's a good idea?"
"It sounds interesting enough. Of course, you'll have to find out how much making them costs. You'd
have to have them made for less than what Allan paid you."
"Yes, that's true. I'd probably need to get several built to bring the cost down."
"But what if you need more than there are jewelers in the kingdom?"
"Oh, yes."
"But, you know, now that I say that, it occurs to me they wouldn't be the only craftsmen who would find
such a device useful."
"Yes. What merchant or tradesman wouldn't want something to figure his sums for him? It would save
him time. It would reassure his customers he wasn't trying to cheat them."
"And there's something else, Trent." Wallace grinned. "You have a reputation, however small, for clever
ideas like this. You just might be the best person to sell such a magical abacus to people."
"Me? Why?"
"Tell me, who would you rather buy such a device from? Some fellow you've never heard of? Or Trent,
the clever spellcaster from Greenford? I would bet on Trent of the streetlights and the magical plays. He
has a head for such things. He's not likely to be a trickster peddling junk."
"I don't know about that."
"I do. My trade is fame and reputation. A famous name is worth gold, if it's used right. Why do you think
I wanted to start out with magical plays about kings? No one would sit through a new type of play about
someone they had never heard of. But kings, dukes, heroes, they have names that are known. They
might be loved or hated, but all that matters is that name. I knew audiences would want to see famous
names brought back to life. That's why we started with the stories we did."
"I suppose so."
"I know so, Trent. Well, your name is becoming known. With this idea of yours, a magical abacus, you
could use your name to sell them. People would trust that name. They would have confidence your
description of what it does is accurate. That your promise isn't so much idle talk."
"Well, that might be true, but how are they going to know it's me? It's not like I have a memorable face."
Wallace was silent for a moment. "I could write a brief letter, along with your father, and this jeweler
you've helped. Everyone has their own symbol. And your father, as a mayor, has a seal. That can't be
falsified. That's all the proof you'd need."
"I suppose so." This time Trent was quiet for a time. "Building more of those magical abacuses will take
time. Getting a letter from my father is going to take time. "
"I know."
"I'd have to be in one place to get that letter."
"I know."
"So that means I'll have to leave the company."
"To be honest, Trent, we don't need you on stage to create the illusions for our plays. We have the
wands, and the magical costumes you've made for us. The other companies aren't using the spellcasters
they hired to assist them as stage performers.
"And, as you said, you're not doing as much magic as you would like. I don't know if making these
magical abacuses…" Wallace stopped and shook his head. "I really don't like that term. It's far too long.
You need a shorter word."
"Like what?"
"Calculator. After all, that's what it does, right? Calculate."
"It does math."
"Yes, but how would you work math into it? Do you call it a ‘mathicus?' That sounds silly.
‘Mathematizer?'"
"Those do sound awful."
"The only other word I could think of is ‘magicus.' That doesn't exactly describe what it does. Calculator
sounds important. It describes what the thing does. And a good name is important. A song that has a
weak name will never get requested. The people won't remember it if they can't remember the name.
Your device needs a good name, one people will remember. The name should help you sell them."
"Yes, that's probably true. Anyway, you were saying?"
"What? Oh, yes. I don't know if making your calculators will be enough magic for your tastes. But it will
get you in contact with people. I think we both agree your work for us doesn't leave you much time to
work for others. Perhaps this will give you more time."
"Probably."
"So what else is bothering you? Saying farewell? The risk of not selling enough?"
"That, yes."
"Those are risks we take if we intend to make a living for ourselves. You would have to rely on your own
talents, instead of being able to count on others making up for any of your shortcomings. But your
income would be in your hands and no one else's. Your calculator is a useful thing. Your challenge will be
to make it affordable, and to find enough merchants who can make use of it. That might be an easier
task than relying on a company of performers to put on a good show every night."
"Yes, I think you're right."
"So, let's get those letters, you find out how much it will cost to make the abacuses, and get you on
your way to wealth and fame."
* * *
Robin, a wineseller, turned the calculator over in his right hand. "Can anyone speak into that thing and
make it work?" he asked.
Trent nodded. "They can indeed, Master Robin."
"For what purpose?"
"To assure them this is no trick that might disadvantage them."
"Indeed. That does make sense. And this is not a trade that always attracts the noblest of men."
* * *
"Why should I buy this from you, Master Trent?" asked John, an armorer and weaponsmith. "I already
have an abacus."
"How much time does it take you to use it? Is that time you could spend more wisely?"
"I don't know that it's that much time."
"Have you ever had to add or subtract numbers a second time?"
"At least a few times a year, I hate to say."
"This calculator does that work for you. It will work as long as the powerstone isn't shattered or the
spells altered. It will work early in the morning, and late at night. It will work when you are tired, or when
your thoughts aren't on the business at hand. Master John, if a mistake has cost you time, or coins, or
your good name, my calculator can help you. It should make most, if not all, of your math problems go
away."
* * *
"This is an interesting device," Steven, the owner of a small shipping company said. "I suppose it would
save me time in keeping my accounts."
"I can think of another use for you," Trent said. "You send teamsters out with coins for expenses, yes?"
"Of course. But I keep a stern eye on how much they spend."
"That's not my point. Do you know how much is spent on a particular route? Perhaps there's a route
that costs more than the others."
"Perhaps."
"Perhaps there's a reason for that. A ferry or a toll bridge. An inn that overcharges. Do you know how
much your teamsters spend on rooms or meals each time they travel? Are they spending too much in
one place?"
"Maybe so."
"If you obtain the numbers, my calculator will give you the sums. In fact, it might give your teamsters
the sums, too."
Steven nodded slowly. "Yes, it could. You know, Master Trent, last autumn I shipped a wagon of cloth
from the makers here to a tailor in Blue River Town. Before the load arrived the tailor suffered some fire
damage to his shop. He asked my driver if he might have a reduction in the shipping fee."
"Did your driver say no?"
"Not at all. However, the tailor wanted a reduction of one-fourth. My driver can neither read nor figure
sums, so he didn't know what one-fourth would be."
"Surely that isn't too hard to figure."
"It is when the fee is three silver and three copper."
"So what happened?"
"My driver gave him a reduction of one silver, which was too much. It was not a great loss, but a loss all
the same. Now, if my driver had your calculator, he could have converted the silver to copper, had it
divide that by four, and it would have told him how much to reduce the charge to the tailor."
"Yes, it could. In fact, it would allow you to grant discounts in any situation."
"Yes. My bargains are often struck days or weeks in advance of my wagons departures. I've had a few
times when a bargain is struck, but when my teamster arrives, the cost of that good has dropped. He
cannot sell it to the intended buyer at the original price. I either have to take a loss, or hope the
teamster will find another buyer."
"And no doubt every time that happens, the shipper is displeased with you."
"Some more than others."
"In that case, Master Steven, perhaps I can reduce my price if you would be willing to buy more than one
of my calculators."
"How much if I buy ten?"
Wallace said.
Trent nodded halfheartedly.
"Perhaps you should think about a story or a song
you want to turn into a drama." Wallace patted
him on the shoulder. "Go back to the inn. See
what this fellow wants from you."
"Thank you." Trent nodded once, turned, and
walked out of the theatre.
He had been part of Wallace's company for a year
and several weeks. At first, he was pleased with
his part in the new ‘magic play.’ He enjoyed the
travel, the applause, and the notoriety. The coins
were sometimes lacking, but he had enough.
By autumn he wondered if his spellcasting was
suffering. The only non-company jobs he had
found were fixing poorly-cast streetlights or
putting a handful of new ones up. During the
winter he learned the ‘magic play’ was spreading.
Wallace did create two new plays, but Trent's
spells were merely variations on what he had
already done.
After the company's first public performance in
Morristown, a messenger had approached Trent
with a letter. It was from a man named Allan, who
said he was a jeweler and wanted to speak to him.
It sounded like a hint at an opportunity. With
Wallace's blessing Trent headed for Allan's shop.
As he walked the streets, Trent saw Morristown appeared to be about the same size as his hometown of
Greenford. But Morristown was closer to the center of the kingdom. As such, there were fewer
trademens' stalls and more shops devoted to the buying and selling of goods.
Allan's shop was an island of calm in a storm of commerce. Not only did it appear quiet, but its front
drew scant attention to the slender two-story building. Trent stepped up to a window to make certain
the shop was open. He saw a man with red hair and a round face showing something to a taller man with
graying hair. He went to the door, turned the doorknob, and pushed the door open.
The first thing Trent noticed once he was inside was how stark the shop seemed. There was one
counter; a painting of a family on the wall to Trent's left; to the right, another showing a wedding. There
were no other pictures on the walls, no displays of merchandise, nothing to show what went on inside.
There was a doorway behind the counter leading to a back room. But that door had two locks on it, one
below the doorknob, and one at eye-level.
The red-haired man peered around the taller man to look at Trent. "One moment, sir," he said in a high
voice, "and I'll be with you." The man turned back to the taller and older man. "Will these suffice, Master
Julian?" he asked.
"They shall," the man said in a rumbling voice.
"Give me one week to set them in the necklace."
"Certainly."
"Will that be all, Master Julian?"
"Yes, for now, Master Allan."
"Then, I thank you for your business."
The man nodded to Allan, nodded briefly to Trent, then left the shop.
Allan looked at Trent. "And what may I do for you, good sir?"
"I am Trent, of Greenford. You asked to see me?"
"Trent? Oh, yes, the spellcaster." He shook Trent's right hand vigorously. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you, Master Allan."
The redhead smiled broadly. "Oh, please, you may call me simply by my first name. I am only formal with
my most generous customers. They pay me enough, so it seems appropriate."
"I must say, I almost missed your shop."
"Unfortunately, I must keep my profile low. A jeweler has many valuables in his place of business. Too
much ostentation, and thieves might take notice."
"Thieves don't know about you?"
"The locals do, yes, but they also know of my precautions. Local miscreants rarely bother jewelers, or
they find out the hard way we have many important customers who do not appreciate losing their
valuables. No, it's the outlaw passing through that's more of a concern. They have fast horses and
sharp knives. But, enough about my trade. You've come here to speak to me, yes?"
"Yes."
"Excellent. Well, I have a problem, and I think a clever spellcaster might be able to help me."
"What problem is that?"
"In my business, I sometimes have to travel, to deliver a piece to a customer, or to inspect jewels or
pieces someone wishes to sell. I have customers in all the nearby dukedoms, and a few in slightly more
distant ones."
"You must do great work."
"I like to think so. Of course, I must also admit there are not that many jewelers in the kingdom."
"So, are you asking me to help you conceal your wares when you travel?"
"Oh, no. When I travel I don't do anything to attract attention. Ordinary clothes, no guards, nothing
that would make me appear promising to a bandit. But that leads to my problem. Dealing in jewels
means dealing in large sums. I often have to use two abacuses to calculate prices and values."
Trent thought he understood the nature of the other man's problem. A normal abacus was about as tall
as two hands placed one above the other, and a bit wider. One would be hard to keep hidden in a
saddlebag; more than one would be impossible.
"So, have you thought of getting smaller ones built?" he asked Allan.
"I have. I have also considered getting one built with four columns instead of two. In fact I have one of
them in the back room."
"So what's your problem?"
Allan held up both his hands and wiggled his chubby fingers. "These, young man. It's hard for me to
move those small beads around. The last time I had to use the little thing, I slid two beads instead of
one. The customer thought I was up to something. Then he tried using the beast, and made the same
mistake.
"It's no trouble to get a smaller abacus made. The trouble is moving the beads to get the sums right.
That's the problem I'd like you to solve for me, if you can."
Trent nodded slowly. "I think that's something I can do. Could I have the abacus you had made?"
Allan unlocked the door to the back room and went in to get it. While he was gone, Trent considered
how to solve the problem he was being presented with. It will need movement spells, he mused, and a
powerstone to keep it working. But how to get it to do mathematics? An information spell. Reveal sum,
perhaps? It will be a start, at least.
Allan returned with the abacus. Trent could see why using it was difficult. The beads were about as small
as the tip of a child's little finger.
Trent flicked a few of the beads. "You can't operate this by touch," he said. "You really have to look at it
to use it."
"And you must be dexterous."
"I'll need to cast spells on this, and probably attach a powerstone to it."
"Do whatever you need to do to make it work."
Trent faced Allan. "Would you mind if we discussed my fee?"
"Would two silver and ten copper be sufficient? Because at the moment it's all I can afford."
"Oh, yes."
"I'll pay five copper now, and the rest upon delivery of a working abacus."
"That should be enough for the powerstone, without me dipping into my own savings."
"Good. How long will the work take you?"
"I can start immediately. But I'll need a few days to make certain the spells don't drain the powerstone,
and that the stone can recharge itself. And I do have to keep up my work with Wallace's company."
"How long are you staying in town?"
"Another ten days, I think."
"Then, let us say, you'll contact me in five days to let me know how you're progressing. After that, we
should speak every day. On the tenth day, you need to be finished, or you must give me back my
coppers."
"I'll agree to that." Trent shook hands with Allan. "Well, I have this day to myself, so I'll go back to the
inn and get started. With luck, Allan, I'll have you an abacus you can use without your hands."
* * *
Trent was able to have the abacus modified in less than an hour, and before the sun had set that night
he had the spells in place and had tested the device. Just as he was getting ready to go to bed, another
idea occurred to him. He cast a few more enchantments on the device so that, when the numbers to
calculate were spoken, the beads lined up and actual numbers appeared over the abacus. He wasn't
certain if the effect would reassure Allan's customers, but it might and impress them, too.
He spent the next day away from the stage. He remained at the inn, reading some new spellbooks he
bought, and using the magical abacus to figure anything that popped into his head. He wanted to know
the powerstone could handle extensive use and still recharge itself. The little device worked well
throughout the day. He set it aside at night, and resumed his testing the next day. It carried out its
tasks without trouble or hesitation.
Trent returned to Allan's shop a day ahead of schedule. He presented the rotund jeweler the enchanted
abacus. He showed him how to use it. Allan tested it out himself a few times.
"It's not set to my voice," was the first thing he said to Trent afterward.
"No. That would be another enchantment."
"Would it cost me more to have that enchantment cast?"
"Well, I did think about that, and I don't think any such enchantment should be cast on it."
"Why not?"
"People who see this might think it's some sort of trick to fool them into giving you more, or less, than
you ought to. If they can use it, and it works for them, I think they'll be less suspicious."
"I suppose that's also why the numbers appear."
"Exactly."
"A fair piece of reasoning, young Trent. Well, it appears that you have done what I asked of you. Wait
here and I will get you the rest of your coins."
"Thank you."
Trent called to Allan as the man went to his back room to get Trent's payment. "Might I ask, where you
had that little abacus built?"
"I suppose so. I had Fenwick the toymaker build it for me." Allan emerged from the back room of his
shop. "Why do you ask?"
"Curiosity. I couldn't think of who would build such a thing."
"I had to speak to many craftsmen. As it happened, Fenwick was the only man who could do it." He
smiled and shook his head. "All my traveling, and all that talking, and it's the fellow with the shop a few
streets away who does the job."
He handed Trent his payment. "You've done well, young man. If you ever have need of my services, I
would be happy to give you quite the discount."
"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."
"Excellent. Good luck to you, Trent."
"And to you, Master Allan. And if you ever need my help, let me know."
"I shall. Good day."
"Good day."
Trent left Allan's shop. As he headed back to the inn he allowed his mind to contemplate the day's
events. Well, he thought, this was quite a pleasant diversion. Of course, it still doesn't mean an end to
my troubles with being a performer. I'm still stuck there and unhappy.
Wait. Now, there are other jewelers in the kingdom. No doubt they'll find out what I did for Master
Allan. Once they find out how helpful it is to him, they'll want one for themselves. So if that's true,
should I wait for them to come to me?
They might not even come to me. In fact, unless I am where they are, they probably won't. They'll ask
the local spellcaster, or some caster traveling through their town. So if I wish them to hire me, I'll
need to go to them first. That means I'll have to have a few more built.
Trent hurried back to the inn. He joined the company for dinner before their performance. He managed
to get Wallace to eat with him at a separate table. He wanted to discuss his thoughts with someone, and
Wallace was the only person he felt he could do so. After telling him what happened, and revealing his
thoughts about selling more enchanted abacuses to other jewelers, Trent asked Wallace, "Do you think
it's a good idea?"
"It sounds interesting enough. Of course, you'll have to find out how much making them costs. You'd
have to have them made for less than what Allan paid you."
"Yes, that's true. I'd probably need to get several built to bring the cost down."
"But what if you need more than there are jewelers in the kingdom?"
"Oh, yes."
"But, you know, now that I say that, it occurs to me they wouldn't be the only craftsmen who would find
such a device useful."
"Yes. What merchant or tradesman wouldn't want something to figure his sums for him? It would save
him time. It would reassure his customers he wasn't trying to cheat them."
"And there's something else, Trent." Wallace grinned. "You have a reputation, however small, for clever
ideas like this. You just might be the best person to sell such a magical abacus to people."
"Me? Why?"
"Tell me, who would you rather buy such a device from? Some fellow you've never heard of? Or Trent,
the clever spellcaster from Greenford? I would bet on Trent of the streetlights and the magical plays. He
has a head for such things. He's not likely to be a trickster peddling junk."
"I don't know about that."
"I do. My trade is fame and reputation. A famous name is worth gold, if it's used right. Why do you think
I wanted to start out with magical plays about kings? No one would sit through a new type of play about
someone they had never heard of. But kings, dukes, heroes, they have names that are known. They
might be loved or hated, but all that matters is that name. I knew audiences would want to see famous
names brought back to life. That's why we started with the stories we did."
"I suppose so."
"I know so, Trent. Well, your name is becoming known. With this idea of yours, a magical abacus, you
could use your name to sell them. People would trust that name. They would have confidence your
description of what it does is accurate. That your promise isn't so much idle talk."
"Well, that might be true, but how are they going to know it's me? It's not like I have a memorable face."
Wallace was silent for a moment. "I could write a brief letter, along with your father, and this jeweler
you've helped. Everyone has their own symbol. And your father, as a mayor, has a seal. That can't be
falsified. That's all the proof you'd need."
"I suppose so." This time Trent was quiet for a time. "Building more of those magical abacuses will take
time. Getting a letter from my father is going to take time. "
"I know."
"I'd have to be in one place to get that letter."
"I know."
"So that means I'll have to leave the company."
"To be honest, Trent, we don't need you on stage to create the illusions for our plays. We have the
wands, and the magical costumes you've made for us. The other companies aren't using the spellcasters
they hired to assist them as stage performers.
"And, as you said, you're not doing as much magic as you would like. I don't know if making these
magical abacuses…" Wallace stopped and shook his head. "I really don't like that term. It's far too long.
You need a shorter word."
"Like what?"
"Calculator. After all, that's what it does, right? Calculate."
"It does math."
"Yes, but how would you work math into it? Do you call it a ‘mathicus?' That sounds silly.
‘Mathematizer?'"
"Those do sound awful."
"The only other word I could think of is ‘magicus.' That doesn't exactly describe what it does. Calculator
sounds important. It describes what the thing does. And a good name is important. A song that has a
weak name will never get requested. The people won't remember it if they can't remember the name.
Your device needs a good name, one people will remember. The name should help you sell them."
"Yes, that's probably true. Anyway, you were saying?"
"What? Oh, yes. I don't know if making your calculators will be enough magic for your tastes. But it will
get you in contact with people. I think we both agree your work for us doesn't leave you much time to
work for others. Perhaps this will give you more time."
"Probably."
"So what else is bothering you? Saying farewell? The risk of not selling enough?"
"That, yes."
"Those are risks we take if we intend to make a living for ourselves. You would have to rely on your own
talents, instead of being able to count on others making up for any of your shortcomings. But your
income would be in your hands and no one else's. Your calculator is a useful thing. Your challenge will be
to make it affordable, and to find enough merchants who can make use of it. That might be an easier
task than relying on a company of performers to put on a good show every night."
"Yes, I think you're right."
"So, let's get those letters, you find out how much it will cost to make the abacuses, and get you on
your way to wealth and fame."
* * *
Robin, a wineseller, turned the calculator over in his right hand. "Can anyone speak into that thing and
make it work?" he asked.
Trent nodded. "They can indeed, Master Robin."
"For what purpose?"
"To assure them this is no trick that might disadvantage them."
"Indeed. That does make sense. And this is not a trade that always attracts the noblest of men."
* * *
"Why should I buy this from you, Master Trent?" asked John, an armorer and weaponsmith. "I already
have an abacus."
"How much time does it take you to use it? Is that time you could spend more wisely?"
"I don't know that it's that much time."
"Have you ever had to add or subtract numbers a second time?"
"At least a few times a year, I hate to say."
"This calculator does that work for you. It will work as long as the powerstone isn't shattered or the
spells altered. It will work early in the morning, and late at night. It will work when you are tired, or when
your thoughts aren't on the business at hand. Master John, if a mistake has cost you time, or coins, or
your good name, my calculator can help you. It should make most, if not all, of your math problems go
away."
* * *
"This is an interesting device," Steven, the owner of a small shipping company said. "I suppose it would
save me time in keeping my accounts."
"I can think of another use for you," Trent said. "You send teamsters out with coins for expenses, yes?"
"Of course. But I keep a stern eye on how much they spend."
"That's not my point. Do you know how much is spent on a particular route? Perhaps there's a route
that costs more than the others."
"Perhaps."
"Perhaps there's a reason for that. A ferry or a toll bridge. An inn that overcharges. Do you know how
much your teamsters spend on rooms or meals each time they travel? Are they spending too much in
one place?"
"Maybe so."
"If you obtain the numbers, my calculator will give you the sums. In fact, it might give your teamsters
the sums, too."
Steven nodded slowly. "Yes, it could. You know, Master Trent, last autumn I shipped a wagon of cloth
from the makers here to a tailor in Blue River Town. Before the load arrived the tailor suffered some fire
damage to his shop. He asked my driver if he might have a reduction in the shipping fee."
"Did your driver say no?"
"Not at all. However, the tailor wanted a reduction of one-fourth. My driver can neither read nor figure
sums, so he didn't know what one-fourth would be."
"Surely that isn't too hard to figure."
"It is when the fee is three silver and three copper."
"So what happened?"
"My driver gave him a reduction of one silver, which was too much. It was not a great loss, but a loss all
the same. Now, if my driver had your calculator, he could have converted the silver to copper, had it
divide that by four, and it would have told him how much to reduce the charge to the tailor."
"Yes, it could. In fact, it would allow you to grant discounts in any situation."
"Yes. My bargains are often struck days or weeks in advance of my wagons departures. I've had a few
times when a bargain is struck, but when my teamster arrives, the cost of that good has dropped. He
cannot sell it to the intended buyer at the original price. I either have to take a loss, or hope the
teamster will find another buyer."
"And no doubt every time that happens, the shipper is displeased with you."
"Some more than others."
"In that case, Master Steven, perhaps I can reduce my price if you would be willing to buy more than one
of my calculators."
"How much if I buy ten?"
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My first SF novel, "Expert Assistance," was published last year by Asylett
Press. I've sold a second novel to eTreasures Publishing. I've had stories and
articles appear in periodicals such as Tales of the Talisman; Marion Zimmer
Bradley's Fantasy Magazine; Pyramid; The Fifth Di...; Wild West; Model
Railroader; Chronicle of the Old West; and the Wichita Eagle. In 2007 Pelican
Publishing released my biography of the "Bleeding Kansas" leader Senator Jim
Lane. In 2005 Pelican published my biography of a Kansas Civil War general.
I've had six Kansas railroad books published by South Platte Press. Previously
I edited the e-mail newsletter for a local SF-F talk radio show; published a
short story magazine; and wrote and published a series of local travel booklets.
My website: http://members.cox.net/rlckansas/frontpage.html
Press. I've sold a second novel to eTreasures Publishing. I've had stories and
articles appear in periodicals such as Tales of the Talisman; Marion Zimmer
Bradley's Fantasy Magazine; Pyramid; The Fifth Di...; Wild West; Model
Railroader; Chronicle of the Old West; and the Wichita Eagle. In 2007 Pelican
Publishing released my biography of the "Bleeding Kansas" leader Senator Jim
Lane. In 2005 Pelican published my biography of a Kansas Civil War general.
I've had six Kansas railroad books published by South Platte Press. Previously
I edited the e-mail newsletter for a local SF-F talk radio show; published a
short story magazine; and wrote and published a series of local travel booklets.
My website: http://members.cox.net/rlckansas/frontpage.html