Book Sale

[XanthVanBokkelen]

From William Gilbert’s On the Loadstone and Magnetic Bodies and on the Great Magnet the Earth:

CHAPTER 8. Of the geography of the earth and the terrella

We have next to speak of magnetic circles and magnetic limits, so that what follows later may be better understood. Astronomers, in order to account for and observe the movements of the planets and the revolution of the heavens, as also more accurately to describe the heavenly order of the fixed stars, have drawn in the heavens certain circles and bounds, which geographers also imitate so as to map out the diversified superficies of the globe and to delineate the fairness of the several regions.

Xanth was standing inside the RhyDin Public Library, where he was intently reading a book that was being sold at a used book sale. Xanth enjoyed the scientists and philosophers from Europe’s Renaissance period. An example of why was Gilbert, who integrated philosophy and literature in his scientific study of the properties of magnetism. He had quoted Thales, Plato, and Lucretius, among many others. The scientists of the Renaissance had a sense of perspective; they had an appreciation of culture and knowledge. Xanth was engrossed in reading the book when an elderly female librarian approached him from behind.

“Excuse me Young Man . . . . “

“Young Man?”, said Xanth, turning around. He was dressed in his black robes with his hood over his head, but the red pinpoints of light could be seen peering out at the woman.

“Ah! Uhhh . . . “ said the woman, startled.

“Speak up mortal, and be quick about it. I am busy.”

“I . . . I just wanted to see if you were interested in any of the books we had for sale. Is there anything in particular you are looking for?”

Xanth holds up William Gilbert’s book. “How much is this volume?”

“Ah, that one is from our Classics section. They are 5 for a silver noble.”

“Five for a silver noble?”

“ . . . Or you can take home as many as you can get in a paper bag for 2 silver nobles.”

“As many as you can get in a bag? What . . . don’t you realize these are some of the greatest works of humankind? And you sell them for such a paltry sum?” Xanth rapidly began sifting through the books on the Classic table. “Galileo’s ‘Concerning the Two New Sciences’, Baron de Montesquieu’s ‘The Spirit of Laws’, William Harvey’s ‘On the Motion of the Heart and Blood in Animals’ . . . you’re just giving them away!” Xanth turned back to the old woman, the red lights in his hood flashing. “Is there some trickery here?”

The elderly librarian was growing more afraid of this strange, black clothed figure, but tried to laugh as though he was making a joke, a rather nervous laugh. “No, sir, we sell our extra books to raise money for the library.”

“I refuse to believe you would sell such treasures for such a trifling price.”

“Well, sir, if you don’t want to buy the book . . . “

“YES! Ahem. Yes, of course I will buy the book. And I will hold you to your price.”

Here Xanth picks up one of the paper bags and rapidly begans to jam it full of books from the Classics table, uttering a “HmmHmmHaHaHaHa” as he did so. He then pulled out two silver nobles from under his robe and slammed them on the table.

“Your loss, mortal. HmmHmmHaHaHaHa!!” Xanth hurried out of the library and down the street, clutching his bag, while the elderly woman stared after him in a mix of fear and amazement.

[XanthVanBokkelen]

It had taken the better part of a week for Xanth to finally track down a place he could call home. Most of the cemeteries he had been to in and around RhyDin city were either already occupied by various ghouls and spirits, or flooded with City Guardsmen looking to make a name for themselves at his expense. After wandering the countryside around the city, he finally found one that would suit his purpose. Several dozen miles west, he found an abandoned church that had a forlorn looking cemetery on its grounds. Most of the tombstones were crumbling from several centuries of exposure to the elements, and in the back was a pretentious, gothic mausoleum which housed a single deceased person. It was rather small, with a roof that tapered upwards into a point, and four smaller spires at each corner. Xanth inspected the granite building for a few moments, noting the legend at the top of the door that said CHAMBERS. He stepped inside and found the sarcophagus of the deceased, and written on it was the words: HERE LIES JOHN CHAMBERS LOVING HUSBAND AND FATHER. Going into the abandoned church, which appeared to be of the Presbyterian denomination of Christianity, he found an old wooden desk and chair, and carried them into the mausoleum. At the back, beyond the sarcophagus, he set up his desk, and began to stack the books that he purchased at the library; along with a few other ones he picked up on his travels. It may be a bit tight, but it will suffice, he thought. He sat in the chair and stared at the sarcophagus for several moments. He was tempted to raise the deceased as a zombie to serve him, but zombies could be incredibly boring and had nothing relevant to talk about, other than incoherent moaning and groaning. Right now he was more interested in his studies. He was extremely annoyed that his challenge for the Earth Tower had been denied; Right about now, he thought, I could be comfortably ensconced in the Tower, combing through its extensive library and gaining much knowledge. He would have to accept the wait. He turned back to his stacks of books and picked one to begin studying –

From Michael Faraday’s Experimental Researches in Electricity:
Second Series
5. Terrestrial Magneto-electric Induction
140. When the general facts described in the former paper were discovered, and the law of magneto-electric induction relative to direction was ascertained (114), it was not difficult to perceive that the earth would produce the same effect as a magnet, and to an extent that would, perhaps, render it available in the construction of new electrical machines.

He had been studying magnetism in regards to dimensional portal creation and electrical power, and it pleased him to gain so much knowledge from the volumes he had collected for his new library.

Yes, he thought, the Tower can wait. Time is one luxury that I can afford.