The guest stood in stunned silence, their eyes fixed on the strange contraption before them. The air in the workshop was thick with oil and ink, the scent of industry—something unfamiliar to those accustomed to the polished halls of nobility.
Arthur let the moment linger, allowing them to absorb the sight before them. Then, with deliberate movements, he stepped to the side, revealing a more simpler looking device nearby—a simple printing press.
"This," Arthur began, gesturing toward it, "is a printing press. Unlike a scribe, who must painstakingly write each word by hand, this machine transfers ink from raised letters onto paper, producing identical copies of the same page over and over again."
He motioned to one of his attendants, who quickly stepped forward, placing a pre-arranged metal plate coated in ink onto the press. A clean sheet of paper was carefully positioned, and with a firm pull of the lever, the machine pressed the paper against the inked type.
Arthur lifted the paper, now marked with a crisp, flawless imprint of text.
The nobles leaned in, their murmurs growing louder. Some recognized the significance immediately, their faces lighting up with understanding. Others still looked skeptical, unwilling to believe that mere machinery could rival the work of trained scribes.
"But while the printing press allows us to produce multiple copies of a single page efficiently," Arthur continued, setting the paper aside, "it still requires individual letters to be arranged by hand, which is a slow and tedious process."
He turned toward the centerpiece of the room—the true marvel of the evening.
"And that is where this machine changes everything."
The guest followed his gaze to the Linotype machine, its complex array of keys, levers, and mechanical parts a stark contrast to the simple elegance of the printing press.
"This is the Linotype machine," Arthur announced, placing a hand on its sturdy frame. "Unlike the printing press, which requires letters to be arranged manually, this machine assembles entire lines of text automatically."
A ripple of disbelief passed through the crowd.
"Automatically?" Audrey repeated, her curiosity peaked.
Arthur nodded. "Let me show you."
He stepped toward the large, clunky keyboard-like panel of the Linotype machine and pressed a few keys. The moment his fingers made contact with the keys, the machine came to life with a violent clack-clack-clack that rattled the walls of the workshop. The sound was sharp and metallic, like the pounding of a blacksmith’s hammer on an anvil.
The brass matrices—the tiny molds that held individual letters—began to fall into place with mechanical precision, their metallic clinks echoing throughout the room. Each key that Arthur pressed was followed by a rapid sequence of clicks, hisses, and the rhythmic thumping of parts shifting into position. The sound seemed louder than any guest would have imagined for such a machine.
Within moments, an entire line of text had formed on the machine, the brass matrices arranged side by side. The molten metal was quickly poured into the molds, and with a sharp hiss, the metal cooled and solidified, forming a fresh line of type. The machine made a deep, resonant thunk as the slug—an entire line of text cast into metal—was ejected onto the receiving tray.
Arthur reached down and picked up the hot, gleaming slug, still radiating warmth. Holding it out for the guests to see, he smiled. "This is the type for an entire line of text, cast in metal in a matter of moments. Now, I will show you what it’s written."
He carefully placed the metal slug onto the press. Another attendant quickly positioned a sheet of paper beneath it. Arthur pulled a lever, and the press came to life with a powerful swoosh as it clamped down onto the paper.
As the press released, Arthur held up the freshly printed page. The words on it were as clear and precise as if they had been written by hand—but they were far more consistent, the same size and shape with every letter. The line of text read:
"Knowledge is the foundation upon which civilization is built. Without it, we are but wanderers in the dark, grasping for the light."
Audrey’s eyes widened as she recognized the words—the very same ones from the book she had been flipping through earlier. The nobles leaned forward, their gazes fixed on the printed page in awe.
The sound of the machine’s whirring and clattering filled the room, but the nobles were no longer distracted by the noise. The Linotype’s mechanical rhythm had become background to the true wonder before them: the speed, the precision, and the sheer possibility of mass-producing books.
Arthur smiled, watching the nobles’ astonished faces. "This is just the beginning," he said, his voice filled with quiet confidence. "The machine can produce entire books in a fraction of the time it would take a scribe to painstakingly write them. Imagine how information will spread—how knowledge that was once confined to a few can now reach many. With books no longer a scarce commodity, literacy will soar, and the possibilities for education and enlightenment are endless."
The weight of his words settled over the nobles like a tide, shifting their understanding of the world before them.
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After a moment, Arthur raised a hand, signaling to the attendants. "Now, let’s allow the second group to come in and see the demonstration for themselves."
The second group of nobles, who had been waiting outside, began to file into the workshop. As they entered, they were met with the same sight—the Linotype machine still clattering away, the smell of molten lead still lingering in the air. The process repeated: Arthur demonstrated the machine, pressing a few keys, casting another line of text, and printing it onto fresh paper. The nobles who had just arrived were equally stunned, murmurs of amazement rippling through the crowd.
Soon, the demonstration was complete. With the last of the guests having had their turn, Arthur turned to the rest of the room, his smile still full of satisfaction.
"Now, if you will all follow me," he said, leading them back toward the grand banquet hall. "I believe we have much more to discuss."
The nobles, still stunned by the demonstration, slowly began to make their way back, following Arthur toward the hall.
After arriving at the banquet hall, Arthur turns to the guest, his voice cutting through the murmurs of anticipation.
"I have one final announcement," he declared, his gaze sweeping across the gathered nobles. "I will be giving the blueprints for both the Linotype and the printing press."