Good boy,' I said. Well, if the eating gets uncertain, I reckon we can find a job of some sort here for you.'
It was a good thing that Bodie had some money saved, for I was a little too optimistic in my offer. Magic, Incorporated, moved quickly into the second phase of their squeeze, and it began to be a matter of speculation as to whether I myself would eat regularly. There were still quite a number of licensed magicians in town who were not employed by Magic, Incorporated - it would have been an evident, actionable frame-up to freeze out everyone - but those available were all incompetent bunglers, not fit to mix a philter. There was no competent, legal magical assistance to be got at any price - except through Magic, Incorporated.
I was forced to fall back on old-fashioned methods in every respect. Since I don't use much magic in any case, it was possible for me to do that, but it was the difference between making money and losing money.
I had put Feldstein on as a salesman after his agency folded up under him. He turned out to be a crackajack and helped to reduce the losses. He could smell a profit even farther than I could - farther than Dr Worthington could smell a witch.
But most of the other businessmen around me were simply forced to capitulate. Most of them used magic in at least one phase of their business; they had their choice of signing a contract with Magic, Incorporated, or closing their doors. They had wives and kids - they signed.
The fees for thaumaturgy were jacked up until they were all the traffic would bear, to the point where it was just cheaper to do business with magic than without it. The magicians got none of the new profits; it all stayed with the corporation. As a matter of fact, the magicians got less of the proceeds than when they had operated independently, but they took what they could get and were glad of the chance to feed their families.
Jedson was hard hit - disastrously hit. He held out, naturally, preferring honourable bankruptcy to dealing with demons, but he used magic throughout his business. He was through. They started by disqualifying August Welker, his foreman, then cut off the rest of his resources. It was intimated that Magic, Incorporated, did not care to deal with him, even had he wished it.
We were all over at Mrs Jennings's late one afternoon for tea - myself, Jedson, Bodie, and Dr Royce Worthington, the witch smeller. We tried to keep the conversation away from our troubles, but we just could not do it. Anything that was said led back somehow to Ditworth and his damnable monopoly.
After Jack Bodie had spent ten minutes explaining carefully and mendaciously that he really did not mind being out of witchcraft, that he did not have any real talent for it, and had only taken it up to please his old man, I tried to change the subject. Mrs Jennings had been listening to Jack with such pity and compassion in her eyes that I wanted to bawl myself.
I turned to Jedson and said inanely, How is Miss Megeath?'
She was the white witch from Jersey City, the one who did creative magic in textiles. I had no special interest in her welfare.
He looked up with a start. Ellen? She's ... she's all right. They took her licence away a month ago,' he finished lamely.
That was not the direction I wanted the talk to go. I turned it again. Did she ever manage to do that whole-garment stunt?'
He brightened a little. Why, yes, she did - once. Didn't I tell you about it?' Mrs Jennings showed polite curiosity, for which I silently thanked her. Jedson explained to the others what they had been trying to accomplish. She really succeeded too well,' he continued. Once she had started, she kept right on, and we could not bring her out of her trance. She turned out over thirty thousand little striped sports dresses, all the same size and pattern. My lofts were loaded with them. Nine tenths of them will melt away before I dispose of them.
But she won't try it again,' he added. Too hard on her health.'
How?' I inquired.
Well, she lost ten pounds doing that one stunt. She's not hardy enough for magic. What she really needs is to go out to Arizona and lie around in the sun for a year. I wish to the Lord I had the money. I'd send her.'
I cocked an eyebrow at him. Getting interested, Joe?' Jedson is an inveterate bachelor, but it pleases me to pretend otherwise. He generally plays up, but this time he was downright surly. It showed the abnormal state of nerves he was in.
Oh, for cripes' sake, Archie! Excuse me, Mrs Jennings! But can't I take a normal humane interest in a person without you seeing an ulterior motive in it?'
Sorry.'
That's all right.' He grinned. I shouldn't be so touchy. Anyhow, Ellen and I have cooked up an invention between us that might be a solution for all of us. I'd been intending to show it to all of you just as soon as we had a working model. Look, folks!' He drew what appeared to be a fountain pen Out of a vest pocket and handed it to me.
What is it? A pen?'
No.'
A fever thermometer?'
No. Open it up.'
I unscrewed the cap and found that it contained a miniature parasol. It opened and closed like a real umbrella, and was about three inches across when opened. It reminded me of one of those clever little Japanese favours one sometimes gets at parties, except that it seemed to be made of oiled silk and metal instead of tissue paper and bamboo.
Pretty,' I said, and very clever. What's it good for?'
Dip it in water.'
I looked around for some. Mrs Jennings poured some into an empty cup, and I dipped it in.
It seemed to crawl in my hands.
In less than thirty seconds I was holding a full-sized umbrella in my hands and looking as silly as I felt. Bodie smacked a palm with a fist.
It's a lulu, Joe! I wonder why somebody didn't think of it before.'
Jedson accepted congratulations with a fatuous grin, then added, That's not all - look.' He pulled a small envelope out of a pocket and produced a tiny transparent raincoat, suitable for a six-inch doll. This is the same gag. And this.' He hauled out a pair of rubber overshoes less than an inch long. A man could wear these as a watch fob, or a woman could carry them on a charm bracelet. Then, with either the umbrella or the raincoat, one need never be caught in the rain. The minute the rain hits them, presto! - full size. When they dry out they shrink up.'
We passed them around from hand to hand and admired them. Joe went on. Here's what I have in mind. This business needs a magician - that's you, Jack - and a merchandiser - that's you, Archie. It has two major stockholders: that's Ellen and me. She can go take the rest cure she needs, and I'll retire and resume my studies, same as I always wanted to.'
My mind immediately started turning over the commercial possibilities, then I suddenly saw the hitch. Wait a minute, Joe. We can't set up business in this state.'
No.'
It will take some capital to move out of the state. How are you fixed? Frankly, I don't believe I could raise a thousand dollars if I liquidated.'
He made a wry face. Compared with me you are rich.'
I got up and began wandering nervously around the room. We would just have to raise the money somehow. It was too good a thing to be missed, and would rehabilitate all of us. It was clearly patentable, and I could see commercial possibilities that would never occur to Joe. Tents for camping, canoes, swimming suits, travelling gear of every sort. We had a gold mine.
Mrs Jennings interrupted in her sweet and gentle voice. I am not sure it will be too easy to find a state in which to operate.'
Excuse me, what did you say?'
Dr Royce and I have been making some inquiries. I am afraid you will find the rest of the country about as well sewed up as this state.'