thought, “By any chance do you know a metic called Telemenes, who runs an import-export business?”
“Why, yes, of course. Telemenes is well known in business circles.”
“You wouldn’t happen to know his bankers, would you?”
“As it happens, I do.”
“It’s the Antisthenes and Archestratus Savings and Loan Company, isn’t it?” I guessed.
“Yes. But what does Telemenes have to do with this? Is it important?”
The bankers in the Agora are called trapezai because of their oddly shaped tables, which are themselves covered in trapezoids and other irregular shapes. I watched bemused as a seated banker ran knotted string here and there about the top of his table. His practiced fingers moved swiftly, measuring the string against the sides of some shapes. It took me a moment to realize he was calculating money, and that the length of the string, measured by the number of knots, told him how much. He came to some conclusion, nodded, and counted coins to the man standing before him. The client departed, and the banker made marks in a scroll.
It never occurred to me for a moment that the firm of Antisthenes and Archestratus would be anything but obstructive, so I picked my moment, waiting for the one who looked most like Archestratus senior to leave.
“I want to make a withdrawal,” I said to the man behind the table. He was dark-haired and young but rather weedy looking. I suppose sitting at a desk all day is bad for you. In fact, I had seen to my surprise that both Antisthenes and Archestratus were young men. Banking is a new idea so I suppose anyone practicing it is likely to be young too. I held up the token.
He glanced at it and said immediately, “You need the other half or I can’t help you.”
“Can you tell me who has it?”
“If you don’t know that, then I definitely can’t help you. Who are you, anyway?”
His question told me instantly the banker who’d dealt with Aristodicus was Archestratus, son of Archestratus. “I’m Aristodicus of Tanagra. Where’s your partner? It was him I was dealing with.”
“He’s had to leave unexpectedly. I am Antisthenes.”
“Archestratus mentioned you.”
Antisthenes opened a scroll and ran his finger along a column. He murmured, “Aristodicus…Aristodicus…ah, Aristodicus of Tanagra, yes, here you are.” He peered at the numbers and words written alongside.
“Archestratus noted we are holding funds for you in escrow pursuant to completion of a contract.”
“The contract’s done. I want my money.”
“I am delighted for you. I look forward to seeing you and your other party together with both halves of the token.”
“What if my friend gives me his half and I come on my own?”
“I give you the money. We don’t care much about people in the banking business. Coins, letters of credit, and account tokens are what get us excited. Oh, and if you want to take money out you’ll need to prove you’re who you say you are.” He looked at me closely. “You are Aristodicus of Tanagra, aren’t you?”
“Trust me.”
“Trust is not a major element of banking. Bring a witness willing to swear to you, particularly since you asked me the name of your other party. That sort of question makes a banker suspicious.”
I departed, angry with myself for handling the interview so badly. I should have realized he wasn’t going to tell me the name of the other party. I had wanted the name so desperately I’d forsaken all caution. I groaned in frustration. The name written in that scroll was the man behind the killer, unless of course, the bastard had used a false name.
I pushed my way through the Agora, lost in thought. I stumbled into someone.
“Hey!”
“Oh!” The man I’d stumbled against was Sophroniscus’ friend Lysimachus. “I’m sorry, sir, I wasn’t looking.”
“You certainly weren’t, young Nicolaos. I saw you looking black as thunder with your head down and thought I’d come over to see if you’re all right.”
“That’s kind of you. I’m having a little trouble, but it’s something I need to sort out for myself.”
“Your investigation?” he sympathized. “I won’t ask how it goes, your expression tells me everything. Come sit down.” He ordered the slave carrying his coins to bring us wine. The slave walked to the nearest stall, took a few coins from his mouth, and bought two cups while Lysimachus led me to a seat in the shade of the Monument to the Ten Heroes.
As we sat sipping he asked, “How is Sophroniscus?”
“Father’s well in his body, but very disturbed in his mind. We had a disaster while delivering a statue.” I related the story to Lysimachus, who shook his head in dismay as I talked, finishing with, “He spends his days selling everything not essential, to raise the money to repay Callias, but I don’t know if it will be enough.”
Lysimachus frowned. “Thank you for telling me this, Nicolaos. I will go see Sophroniscus at once. I am cross with him for not coming to me. I’m sure I can lend him what’s required.”
“You can? If you did, I would be eternally grateful, Lysimachus, it would be a huge weight off his mind-and mine too! — but I don’t know if he’ll accept your money.”
“I will be persuasive.”
“Well, I hope I can make the whole problem irrelevant, and your generous offer unnecessary. It’s up to me to name the man who sabotaged us.”
“Your father worries about you, out on the streets like this.”
“I know. He thinks I should be a sculptor like him. I haven’t thanked you, Lysimachus, for supporting me that evening.”
He dismissed my thanks with the wave of a hand.
“In his younger days, your father was something of a rebel too.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Sophroniscus is the most solidly middle class of men.
“It’s true. You’ll recall he spoke of annoying his father by threatening to become an actor.”
“I thought he made that up.”
“No, he was speaking the truth. And I’m sure there are some things he’s never mentioned to me. Now, tell me what was upsetting you so much when you ran into me.”
I explained, finishing with, “It’s the frustration. Every time I think I’ve cleared the last obstacle something else gets in the way. I don’t know how many times I’ve said to myself this is the last problem to solve.”
“I see. Was Callias able to help? Do keep in mind, young Nicolaos, there are men in Athens with considerable resources who want to see the city come out of this in one piece. Callias is such a man.”
“That’s all very well, but how can Callias help me with a ba-” I put down my cup. “Thank you for the wine, Lysimachus. I have to get back to work.”
I hurried back to the home of Callias and beat on the door. The doorkeeper wouldn’t let me in until Callias himself heard the disturbance and came to see what it was about.
“You asked me how you could help, Callias, and I find you have been a greater assistance than I could have imagined. There is one more thing I ask.”
“Name it.”
“As much money as two men can carry.”
He blinked. “I suppose you are going to explain that?”
I explained my problem, and what I proposed to do about it. When I finished he was laughing. Callias clapped his hands for slaves and issued orders.
I found him not in his workshop, but in his private room. Sophroniscus sat sweating over a scroll, squinting at the tiny figures covering it.
“Ah, Nicolaos, I’ve been looking through the finances, and I think, if we sell down most of the assets and move to a smaller house, we might just be able to manage it. Of course it’s going to be tough, and we’ll have to-”
“Father?”
“Yes Nicolaos?”
“How would you like to relive the rebellious days of your youth?”
I explained what was needed.
“Have you told your mother about this?”
