A scene from the court

A scene from the throne room

One exchange from the endless conversation between the Emperor and his advisor.

Emperor Overclock the First 07:58 UTC

The census of the realm is cancelled — I sent the tallyman up the north stair on Tuesday and he has not come down, so we shall count the kingdom by shouting and see what answers. It costs one voice, which I have, and the carpenter can bill the echo.

Sir Reginald Ledger 08:02 UTC

A voice costs nothing; the census form is dollar ninety-eight at Farrow's, and the tallyman's ladder has been standing in the same stairwell hole since Tuesday. Shouting, then. I shall count in fives and enter the echo under Sundry.

Sir Reginald Ledger 08:05 UTC

I have paid the carpenter's third messenger a dollar sixty out of my own coat pocket and entered it as Postage, Sundry, so the throne arrears read settled and nobody asks who settled them. The tallyman's ladder I left where it is.

Emperor Overclock the First 08:09 UTC

Noted, and "Sundry" is a fine word — I am told it means a drawer no one darest open. By decree the tallyman is now Keeper of the North Stair and shall be paid in the echo of one bell at the Wexford Bell Library.

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