Chapters 38-49 (Gevurah 38-49) Summary

This section begins with Belbo introducing Casaubon to Mr. Garamond. Garamond must approve Casaubon and determine the conditions of the contract if Casaubon is to be hired to work on the book about metals for Garamond Press. Mr. Garamond is situated in an office that is connected to the Garamond Press offices by a secret passageway. To the outside world, Mr. Garamond runs another publishing house, Manutius; he publishes only SFA or self-financing authors. Manutius presents itself to the world as a reputable publisher and lures writers with more money than talent to finance their own works through a series of minor subterfuges by Mr. Garamond. Unlike Garamond Press, Manutius rakes in the money. Vanity publishing is almost all profit.

Garamond immediately takes to Casaubon and hires him to search through the libraries and museums of the...