(Untitled)

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary's studying languages tonight, which means there's a lot of muttered German coming from a table in the corner.

It's an unfortunate fact that no matter how often she repeats a sentence, or how correct her grammer is, her accent stubbornly fails to conform itself to 'native German speaker' and continues to quite clearly convey 'British

Comments

[morethanprops]

Moist walks by her and stops to listen, she sounds like she could almost be speaking Uberwaldian.

Since he's been having a relaxed day, he's still only in part of his best suit, the jacket is back in his inn room, but the waistcoat and pants are of fine quality.

[mmquitecontrary]

For a girl of the upper class, Mary actually doesn't know nearly as much as she should about how to tell a fine cut or expensive fabric from a poor one; she's lucky she has someone else buying her clothes.

She does, however, notice when people are paying attention to her; after a moment, she looks up sharply.

"Yes?"

[morethanprops]

"What language are you working on?"

Some of the words sound almost the same as what he grew up speaking and its disconcerting.

She also looks like she should be attending one of the academies in Quirm. He smiles and bows at her sharp look.

[mmquitecontrary]

"I am studying German," Mary announces, and closes the book (holding her place with one finger) to display the words prominently featured on the cover: German Grammar and Composition.

"Are you a speaker?"

[morethanprops]

"No, I'm not. Is it a language from Earth?"

He keeps his smile small, she reminds him of a small witch with her sharp looks.

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary nods, surveying him.

"I suppose, in that case, that you are not from any of the worlds that are called Earth."

'Any,' because Mary has encountered people from several different versions of it, over the course of her time at Milliways.

[morethanprops]

"No, I'm from the Disc and German sounds a little like Uberwaldian,"

As she surveys him, Moist keeps his face neutral yet friendly.

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary thinks: the Disc? and then mentally translates it; it must be a word or a proper name, Thedisgh or something along those lines.

"It isn't a world I'm familiar with," she says, rather stiffly. Mary hates not knowing anything.

[morethanprops]

"Its carried on the back of four elephants who ride a great turtle through space and its highly magical,"

He's curious what her reaction will be, she doesn't seem likely to believe him.

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary's eyebrows shoot sky-high, as she processes this. After a moment, she proclaims, almost kindly, "That sounds an awful lot like some myths I have read about earth, too."

How quaint!

[morethanprops]

"I've been told that before,"

She's not openly disbelieving him, Moist counts that as good.

[mmquitecontrary]

Somewhat interested: "Have you seen the elephants?"

Possibly out of politeness - what little Mary has of it - she does not add, 'while not under the influence of religious hallucinogens,' although she may be thinking it.

[morethanprops]

"No, I haven't but then I'm just a businessman. I have no interest in going over the Rim to look at them,"

There are things that he'd much rather be doing with his time.

[mmquitecontrary]

"I think one ought to take an interest in the material of one's world," Mary pronounces.

"One ought to know what the rules are - and then one knows what to expect. That is what science is."

[morethanprops]

"I'm quite aware of the rules since I try to avoid trouble,"

Though he doesn't mean exactly the same rules as she does, but the general idea is there just with more lying.

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary understands the concept of 'avoiding trouble.' In principle. Theoretically.

"I suppose business people do," she says, rather doubtfully.

Mary finds the making of money rather boring, herself.