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You can read more original fiction from Emily Chesley in the Meanderings of the Emily Chesley Reading Circle<

The Transcript of Eldred Thunk
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The Transcript of Eldred Thunk
--a speculative fiction by Scott Hill

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Eldred Thunk clerk at Morton and Saunder's Merchant Bank

Of course Sergeant. I'll admit it. I was on the North pier at midnight two weeks past. In fact I was there while The Preussen was docked. That is a magnificent ship. Not beautiful mind you but impressive for its size. But I digress. Let me repeat for the record: I had no idea what was on board. How could I? No one knew. I suspect even the ship's crew were kept in the dark. Very much a need to know thing of course. Why, most of what I know is hearsay and gossip, the talk of drunken young sailors and bitter old cooks. I'll wager that there may have been some truth in it all. But what is truth and what is fiction? And who's to tell? Still, I was there and I thought I had an inkling as to what was true. As I have no taste for Her Majesty's gaol, I'll tell you what I know. But what I tell you is a sad tale of the madness of this modern world.

My name is Eldred Thunk and I have been a clerk at Morton and Saunder's Merchant Bank in the City for the past eleven years. My superior, Young Mr. Morton will vouch for my record there. A spotless record after audits and only three days missed in that time. I suppose it might be said that I am a man of conservative character. But like many men of such nature we are not merely the dullards that we are seen to be. We have our diversions. No sir! I'll thank you to keep this conversation at the level of a gentleman. Ah. excuse me sir, it's just that such language is not commonly used in the circles I frequent. It seems - no offense - to be more in keeping with what one hears on the docks. Yes sir, exactly where I was that night.

As I was saying, for my part, I have always enjoyed a game of whist. I know a lot these days are going in for bridge whist but that seems an unnecessarily complicated game to me. I do not gamble but even so our parson does not approve of such whimsical diversions. He is from Kent. Anyway, as I was saying, I thoroughly enjoy the companionship of a good game, the fellowship, the conversation around the table. Though I do frequently indulge in idle gossip, the idea of knowing something exotic, of discovering some small secret or hearing a small snippet of a private matter is intoxicating. Once one has sipped from such a draft, it is virtually impossible to stay one's hand from another taste.