Obviously as one’s fame grows, it’s inevitable that one will find oneself in greater demand. This I had been promised by my elders. Yet I confess that this fame seemed to take a long time to come. Admittedly Port Naain is a large city with any number of poets, some of whom are perhaps my equals. And yet, I … More Rustic Pursuits
The blame for this whole sad episode I lay most firmly at the feet of Mutya Ardlevice, daughter of Calthrop Ardlevice. Old Calthrop himself was a usurer, a man of substance, one of the wealthiest and most respected men of business in Port Naain. He was universally known as Ballplein from his habit of messing … More “Gentlemen behaving badly”
If ever a man was an innovator, it was Stillitoe Cloudwiller. Others would have been happy to bask in the relative success of the aquatic tripod. After all, whilst this was limited to one prototype, it did at least work, came in under budget, and he managed to sell it and recover his investment. Many, … More Wheels within wheels
It was with some strong emotion that Mistress Maljie commented that, “Had I drunk less wine I’d have doubtless told Tallis Steelyard fewer stories.” As a friend of hers rather tartly commented, “Had you drunk less wine you’d doubtless have fewer stories to tell him in the first place.” The discussion was then side-tracked when … More The ascent of Mistress Maljie
Sometimes I feel the need to be discreet lest my tales cause embarrassment or disillusionment to those who remain. In this case my discretion is based on a justified suspicion that if she thinks I’m taking notes, the stories that she tells will be even more scandalous. If you are lucky you will doubtless … More The sweet remembered ghosts of the past
As usual I am grateful to Mutt for the way he has advanced my education. He came back to the barge one evening in a state that I can only describe as euphoric. Shena and I watched him carefully during our evening meal in case he was under the influence of some narcotic but other … More On the fiddle
Eleana Racksea was somebody you would see regularly if you frequented the quays and wharves of Port Naain. She painted. Now this city boasts a lot of painters, some of them good, some of them ‘experimental’. To be fair to Eleana she fell firmly into the former category. She did not produce bizarre daubs and … More Every Picture
Tallis Steelyard 