And we have a winner - the last sentence is probably one of the more important when one considers the sort of man Martel is and what some of the books upstairs likely contain. "An accountant, truly."

...he can manage his own money, but it wouldn't hurt, now, would it? "That aside - it is what I need, yes. It needs maintained, and give me a hundred years or so and I might have things slowed down enough that I can handle that myself," wry, rueful, not entirely kidding, "but in the meanwhile, yes. There are books such as those in the collection, and I'd prefer not to hand them off to someone who'll damage or be damaged by. Your experience?"