Time Traveler
He returns the greeting but is obviously having trouble placing me. I tell him I am an American and have admired his work. I tell him I have always wanted to meet him. He seems flattered. I tell him that the American translations of his books are very poor and that I much prefer the original French. He takes this as obvious as he believes his original prose in his native tongue is unmatched. He definitely has a big ego. He tells me he is a fan of some American writers, like Edgar Allen Poe . He shows me around his boat, the Saint-Michel III, with great pride. The living area is below deck. He has a small library there, including a volume of Poe's poetry.
He examines the time machine intently and asks what my line of scientific endeavor is. I tell him I dabble in various things, but cryptography is one of my specialty areas. "Formidable!" he exclaims. He explains that in his current novel, Mathias Sandorf, the characters need to communicate securely with some sort of cipher. He comments how Poe used a secret code. He asks my advice.
I have not read that book and do not know what cipher he used, so I close my eyes for a moment and let the flow of history guide me. "I know," I say, "the turning grille." I explain that it is a legitimate system that provides genuine security and is used throughout Europe, and therefore plausible and scientifically accurate. It is also simple enough for the average reader to understand. I take the Poe volume and encipher a short passage as an example. He approves heartily.
ACAEM BHHLE SERDE ISPTA KIITN CWADA TELCS YRAEM TBEIR EIRAE NDNTY MDHIN GEEB
I now feel more confident that I know my place. I have somehow been selected by the forces of history to set the course correctly by use of my cryptographic skill. Will I be sent next to the Second World War? The Cold War? Wikileaks? I bid him adieu and head up on deck. I still want to see the world. I can at least choose the country. Should I stay in France or go back to England? It's hard to decide. I set the dial and press the button.
He examines the time machine intently and asks what my line of scientific endeavor is. I tell him I dabble in various things, but cryptography is one of my specialty areas. "Formidable!" he exclaims. He explains that in his current novel, Mathias Sandorf, the characters need to communicate securely with some sort of cipher. He comments how Poe used a secret code. He asks my advice.
I have not read that book and do not know what cipher he used, so I close my eyes for a moment and let the flow of history guide me. "I know," I say, "the turning grille." I explain that it is a legitimate system that provides genuine security and is used throughout Europe, and therefore plausible and scientifically accurate. It is also simple enough for the average reader to understand. I take the Poe volume and encipher a short passage as an example. He approves heartily.
ACAEM BHHLE SERDE ISPTA KIITN CWADA TELCS YRAEM TBEIR EIRAE NDNTY MDHIN GEEB
I now feel more confident that I know my place. I have somehow been selected by the forces of history to set the course correctly by use of my cryptographic skill. Will I be sent next to the Second World War? The Cold War? Wikileaks? I bid him adieu and head up on deck. I still want to see the world. I can at least choose the country. Should I stay in France or go back to England? It's hard to decide. I set the dial and press the button.