Summer 51, 510 Zedavi the cloth-merchant sat smiling on the mat underneath his portable shelter, his wares spread out before him and his arms spread out in a conciliatory gesture towards the very large Eypharian looming above him. He spoke, as was his way, in the archaic version of Common found on scrolls written shortly after the Valterrian. His foster father had collected such books, and he had learned to read and speak from them. "Come nowe, kynde sirrah, surely thou dost notte thynk that such ae fyne example of clothing shouldst be worth to thee only fyfteene golde-rymmed Miza? Yt ys notte to be borne, for ae silken shirt, though mayhap ae price of twenty-five golde-rimmed Miza shalt be of ae more pleasing tone to thine ear?" The Eypharian ran the fine silk through one pair of hands while the other pair rested on his hips. "Garbage does not cost so much in the finer quarters of town, though you are the only human-kin merchant today with four-armed garments. I offer seventeen." Zedavi smiled once more, this one was difficult. "But friende, yt ys surely not of such poore make, that ye would want yt for no more than the commoner merchandyse? Yt ys twenty-five golde-rimmed Miza for the shyrt, sirrah, and notte ae copper less, and thee will notte get ae better deal for yts quality anywhere else yn thys markytplace. Ae two-armed shyrt for thyne use would be fyfteene golde-rimmed Miza wythoute complainte, but thee wouldst want alterationnes, and yt would run the byll up to thyrtie Golde-rimmed Miza easily." The Eypharian considered the garment for a moment and shook his head. "I can find this quality anywhere in the marketplace, the alterations can't cost as much as the shirt, why should they? I offer eighteen." Zedavi sighed. This really was difficult. "Because, friende, yf yt ys a two-armed shyrt, yt ys more difficult to add on sleeveings than yt ys to take offe a pair from a four-armed shyrt. I wyll lower twenty-two golde-rimmed Miza and five sylver-rimmed Miza, but cannotte goe lower."' |