least bit shocked; as a very close and trusted advisor, he did in fact possess knowledge of most of my secrets. "Al, Jenkins is the least of your problems right now."
"How much am I worth at this time?"
"Cash reserves, about fifteen grand American. There's still a few objects which could be sold. They couldn't really get you enough to live on for any length of time, but - "
"No," I said sharply. "Those antiquities will not be sold in a panic, not when we cannot get an optimal price for them. They are my reserves, to be sold only in the most dire of circumstances."
Bob finally stared piercingly into my eyes. "These are not dire circumstances?"
During the mid 17thcentury, I had lived inGermany . I was quite well-off, the lord of a rather substantial manor. One lovely summer evening, while riding through theBlack Forest , I encountered a quintet of highwaymen who ordered me to yield all my valuables. Instead, I dismounted and quickly bested the brigands, then galloped into the night. The next night, I was confronted by the local burgermeister, accompanied by the quintet, their faces badly bruised.
Despite the coming of the Age of Enlightenment, the burgermeister wanted to try me as a witch. If not for the timely intervention of a few human friends, I would have been burned at the stake. As it was, I escaped with little more than the clothes on my back, my prospects for the immediate future dependent upon shallow pockets and a few letters sent to friends and acquaintances throughoutEurope explaining my desperate, nearly destitute situation.
I eventually received an invitation to study independently atOxford . Following a few years of diligent work, I earned a degree, then conducted patronized research inEngland for the next several years, finally "retiring," wealthy once again.
In the interim, however, only the sale of a golden, ruby-and-emerald-encrusted necklace belonging to the Byzantine Emperor Basil had kept me from complete destitution, thus allowing me to remain within civilization. In comparison, this latest situation was hardly that dire, yet it had been centuries since I was anything but wealthy. "Robert," I asked, "what options have I?"
Bob sipped his beer and shrugged his shoulders, running a hand through his silver hair. "Most millionaires, when something like this happens, they gotta go out and find a job. For those who started with nothing, it's no problem. Others, well - " His voice trailed off. "Of course, you're not just anybody who's lost a fortune. I'm sure there's ways for you to get your money back that aren't available to others."
"What exactly are you suggesting?" My voice sounded suspicious.
A crooked smile crossed Bob's face. "You could go up to Donald Trump, look him in the eye and tell him to loan you a million dollars seed money so you can start over. Hell, you could just tell him to give it to you. And, of course, he wouldn't have any choice."
I shook my head vigorously. "That is not an option. As a suggestion, that is dishonorable and completely disagreeable and rather disappointing. What else might you suggest?"
Bob placed the beer bottle on the table and pressed a pair of steepled fingers against his lips. "Why not go back into the woods, Al? You seem to enjoy yourself there, and it doesn't cost you a thing."
Indeed. When too long among the civilized minions, I pine for the wordless solitude where my feral side may run free, yet when in the wilds for too long, I miss the comforts of well-tailored clothes and silk sheets. I miss humanity.
"Robert, quite regrettably, I have become too attached to my material possessions. And - I like to travel. I like people."
Johnson flashed a slightly embarrassed smile, obviously a bit amused by the irony of my last remark. "Then, you have to get a job. Youneed money. Money means security because you never know when you might have to suddenly disappear. You need capital, and the only way you're going to get it is to work and save money. Lots of money."
"Agreed." Indeed. It was not like I have never had to do this before. "Do you have any ideas of where I might secure employment?"
Bob smiled slightly. "Didn't you tell me something about some sort of science degree fromCambridge ? Of course, there's no telling how long ago that might have been."
"Actually, it wasOxford , sixteen-seventy," I said with a laugh.
"Well, I imagine you've at least made an attempt to keep up with all the advances over