“What manner of things do they make by such learning, then?”
“Surely you know of the ship Admiral Simpson sent into the mouth of the Thames, that swept aside all opposition as if it were gossamer when it brought away the people from the Tower?”
“Yes, of a certainty. It was said to move as it would, with little regard to wind or tide, and no broadside could be brought to bear against it before it moved aside.”
“Well, it was driven by steam, as you’ve likely heard. I know some of the folk who designed that engine. They had never worked on one like it. Simpson wrote to them saying what his ships required, and within days they were making precise drawings of the necessary parts and sending orders to the foundries and machine shops. I don’t mean to say nothing needed to be corrected, but those engines were completed and sent to the shipyard in mere months. There was never any question that they would work.
“England could have ships like that, and steam pumps for the mines, and even things the Grantvillers lack, such as spinning machines and powered looms to comfortably clothe even the poorest of us. We could teach all of their learning at Cambridge and then carry on beyond it. It only needs enough scholars and enough time to publish what they have in their libraries and private collections.”
“They allow this? They don’t keep the knowledge to themselves?”
“They reason that would place them in greater danger than publishing it freely. If it’s everywhere, it can’t be lost or suppressed.”
“Tell me then, if you would, what such learning in England might mean to the trades in wool and wine, as those are our business. You spoke of mechanical weaving and spinning?”
“Ah. Yes, those greatly changed life in England in that other history…”
It was nearly time for Hall. The light slanting in through the windows was turning golden. With so many undergraduates and fellows returning for the start of the term, the buzz of conversation had risen greatly over the last few days. Richard approached the table where he’d often sat before, and smiled to see John Rant concentrating fiercely on a book tipped up before him, very much as he’d often done when Richard last saw him two years earlier. John turned at the approaching footsteps and came to his feet.
“Richard Leamington! Of all people! You look well. Have you completed your foreign studies so soon, then?”
“No, John, but things have changed. You know it was always my plan to master mathematics, then teach it?”
John nodded.
“Well, there’s far more to master than I ever imagined, but if I’m to teach here at all, I must begin.”
“How so? Places in the university are always in short supply, but surely, with all you must have brought back from that place…”
“Oh, there was no difficulty gaining a lectureship, even without an M.A. It’s my time that may be limited. No, I’m not well at all.”
John looked stricken. “What’s the matter, Richard?”
“Some months ago I began to have moments of dizziness and headaches. At times the sight in my left eye would blur. I went to see one of their doctors.”
“I’ve heard tales of them. Supposedly they do near-miraculous things for all manner of ailments. And so?”
“All they could do for this malady was name it. It’s called multiple sclerosis. Treating it is entirely beyond them. Curing it would have been beyond the most eminent physicians even in their own time, and all they are is a few country practitioners, doing their utmost to pass on what they know while they can.
“It causes a gradual worsening of health, and is invariably fatal in the end. There’s no knowing how fast it may come on. They know of people living twenty years or more with it, but that’s uncommon. So, I decided it was time to bring this new mathematics home, as much of it as I could, and teach for as long as I have.”
“Oh, Richard, I’m so sorry. But, this seems to leave room to hope, at least. Perhaps you might live as long even with it, as you might have otherwise.”
Richard walked around to the other side of the table and settled down. “Perhaps. But let’s speak of something more cheerful. What’s that you were studying as I came in?”
John took his seat again, and picked up the book to show the cover.
“Isn’t that the same calculus book that went around in Latin translation before I left? I’d have thought, with your passion, you’d have gone a good deal further by now.”
“Oh, I have. A transcription of a textbook on complex variables has reached us, in English. Fascinating notions, though the use is still obscure. I’m just reviewing a few points before returning to it. But what do you have in that leather case? It looks big enough for a book, perhaps two.”
“Ah. You must see this. It arrived only today.”
Richard laid the case on the table and opened it. He took out a flat contrivance of wood and metal, and unfolded it. Then he took out one of several thin packages, extracted a modest-sized sheet of stiff glossy paper from it, and slid it into the rear part of the device. He handed it to John. “Hold this up to your eye. Look through the glass lens on the front, and stand so the sunlight falls on the paper at the back. You can slide the sheet holder left and right, and up and down. Turn this little knob here for a clearer view.”
John took the device, and moved it side-to-side while fiddling with the adjustment. He stopped.
“Printing? So small that it needs this glass to read it? Most artful, but why? It must be formidably difficult to do.” He slid the paper sideways, looking for the beginning. He read aloud, “Modern Probability: Theory and Its Applications. By Emanuel Parzen of Stanford University. Stanford University?”
Richard gestured, palms-up. “A parched and empty hillside in our era, so I’ve been told.”
“So it must be.” John slid the holder around some more. “By the symbols, this appears to be some form of mathematics, but not of a kind I’ve seen or heard of.”
“Yes, it is. An advanced topic, used for many important things in science and commerce. I’ve recorded a notice to scholars at the state library in Grantville, that I will translate it into Latin, and our university press will publish it in the original English, and then the translation. As to why, this method of making a copy is a temporary expedient. It’s done with optics and chemistry, I don’t know precisely how. Much less satisfactory than reprinting the book itself at full size, but good enough for the typesetting and translation work, and far faster and cheaper than transcribing by hand. They made this in three days. And with each sheet holding the images of four pages, or four images of anything else for that matter, a whole book adds but little to a traveler’s burden-and they hope to put twelve or sixteen to a sheet soon. The actual printed book is safe in the private collection of the husband of one of my fellow teachers.”
John lowered the viewing device and looked at Richard in surprise. “ Fellow teacher? I thought you went there to study. You taught there?”
“Yes, it was how I supported myself during my studies. The Ring of Fire left a good many of their teachers behind. And now there are many more students than before. As soon as I arrived at the library and inquired in English after books on mathematics, the principal sought me out and asked if I could teach. So for two years I taught geometry and trigonometry in the high school, while helping with translations. Meanwhile I studied complex variables, probability, differential equations, and other manner of things. They greatly value our English university men, there.”
“They must have been sorry to see you leave, then.”
“Mrs. Reardon and her busy crew of volunteers did try to persuade me to stay longer. They have great plans. But John Pell arrived recently, and he has taken my place. He’ll serve them well, better than I could, really. I learned much from him in my undergraduate days.”
“Pell? I thought he’d gone to Horsham to teach school.”
“He did, but it didn’t last. But while he was searching for a new situation, word reached him of what was to be found in Grantville, and it drew him.”
John handed back the viewer. “So, there’s another place of high learning in the world. But, what was that you said about a notice of some kind?”
“Yes, a notice to other scholars that I intend to translate this book. There was the most fearful uproar after three translations of the same book on steelmaking came out within months of each other, all three scholars working unbeknownst to each other. After that, the library agreed to keep records, so that everyone can know
