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"Will you looky there,"Marietta said, indicating the man walking up the ramp outside the picture window
in front of the Grantville Public Library. "Is that some kind of a down-time guy in drag?
"At least he knows how to pick jewelry. That cross perfectly compliments the black gown." Both girls
giggled as the door opened.
Mariettagreeted the oddly garbed visitor."Afternoon, sir. If you need any help, just ask."
"Thank you, Frau. May I please see your library?"
"Help yourself. I'm going to have to ask you to leave your backpack up here though. We've had some
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trouble lately with people taking books without checking them out. Are you looking for anything in
particular?"
Brother Johann looked puzzled and pushed his glasses back into place. "I don't really know. I've never
been in a library quite like this. Is this the only area accessible to outsiders?"
"Now you've done it," Jenny broke in. "Here comes the Public Lending Library 101 speech. If you two
will excuse me, I need to go. See you tomorrow,Marietta . Nice meeting you too, Mister...?"
"Brother Johann. I've just arrived in Grantville fromItaly ."
"Funny, you don't sound Italian,"Marietta said.
"No, I'm actually from..." Johann paused. "Very close to here, originally. But I've been serving in the
Benedictine library in Subiaco for some years now. I was asked to come here in order to learn what the
Lord's purpose was in bringing Grantville to our time."
"Oh! Well then, Brother Johann, welcome to Grantville. You just arrived? You mean you really just got
here and came straight to the library?"Marietta was taken aback, half wondering if Johann was pulling her
leg and half excited about the possibility of meeting a kindred spirit. She had been initiated into the field of
library science at an early age. As a third grader, Mrs. Yardley had noticed her re-shelving the 788.12
section in the correct order. Then she had offered her an after school job as a page.
Johann nodded."Yes, Frau. I asked where the library was and a kind lady pointed me this way. Is this
the whole of your collection?"
"Goodness, no."Turning to her friend,Marietta said, "Jenny, I'll see you later. Let me help this man."
After she and Jenny finished their goodbyes,Marietta continued, "This is just the reference and
non-circulating section. My name is Marietta Fielder. Glad to meet you. Now, if you will follow me..."
She walked to the back of the room to a step up to an open doorway. "This section holds up to three
hundred books and through there" indicating another door where an even larger room awaited "are
another four hundred-plus books and, of course, fiction.Uh... Brother, are you okay?"
Johann was staring at the ceiling, mouth open.Marietta looked up and saw the fluorescent light fixture.
The plastic cover had fallen out last week and she hadn't had time to replace it.
"That's called an electric light, fluorescent to be exact. It was an invention of the early twentieth century.
You're going to see a lot of new things here, Brother Johann."
"Yes, this I've learned." Johann followedMarietta through the rest of her tour of her home. He also
recognized the same love of books and the preservation of knowledge inMarietta that had consumed his
life. He listened toMarietta 's explanation of the concept of an up-time lending library and was introduced
to some of the staff. He noticed the occasional empty spaces in the shelves, like missing teeth in an
otherwise perfect mouth. His mind swirled.
"Frau Fielder, perhaps I should take care of my lodging arrangements before the day gets by, and come
back in the morning to study your collection. Do you know where I might find quarters?"
"That's easy, if you have money." Johann nodded asMarietta continued, "You ought to go to see Huddy
Colburn at Grantville Homes and Land. He's been handling relocations and housing for the emergency
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committee since the ROF. His office is back onMain and just a half block on the right."
"We open ateight thirty Monday through Saturday and usually close atseven PM ,"Marietta continued.
"Five on Saturdays. I'll see you in the morning, okay?"
V: Lodging
Huddy Colburn put the paperwork back in its legal file and laid it on the "Done" pile.Be careful what
you pray for next time, Hudson , he thought, and grinned briefly. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]