"Yes," answered Gutenberg, "it is in effect a wine-press, but it shall shortly spout forth floods of the most abundant and marvelous liquor that has ever flowed to quench the thirst of man."
The mechanic, paying no heed to Gutenberg's excitement, made the press for him according to the model. It was set up in the printing-rooms of Dritzhn's dwelling, and the firm went on with their work of cutting movable type. But the sale of books was small, and for two years more the apprentices grumbled, and protested that they should have stuck to the lapidary's art.
New troubles soon arose. It was found that the ink softened the type and spoiled the form of the letters. "We must make more fresh type," said Gutenberg, "until we can find a way to harden the wood." Then a bill was sent in of one hundred florins for press-work. The partners were angry, and said they saw no real advantage in the press. "But without the frame and press all our labor of making _stucke_ will prove useless," answered the inventor. "We must either give up the art, and disband, or make the necessary improvements as they are called for."
Gutenberg was made of sterner stuff than his partner Dritzhn. Two years of small success and great doubt had told upon the latter, and so one day when Father Melchior of the Cathedral told him he noticed that he was worried, Dritzhn confessed to him the secret of the printing shop. "I have put money into the business," said he, "and if I leave now I fear I shall lose it all."
"Leave it by all means," advised the Father, "for be sure that no good will come of these strange arts."
But when he went back to the shop Dritzhn discovered the others setting type for a new work, a dictionary, that was called a "Catholicon." They were all enthusiastic about this, believing it would have a readier sale than their other works, and so he decided to stay with them a little longer, in spite of the Father's advice.
Just as the dictionary was ready to be issued, in the autumn of 1439, an event occurred which threw the firm into confusion. Dritzhn died suddenly, and his two brothers demanded that Gutenberg should let them take his place in the firm. He read over the contract which they had all signed, and then told them that they could not be admitted as partners, but should be paid the fifteen florins which the books showed were due to Dritzhn's heirs. They rejected this with scorn, and at once started a lawsuit against Gutenberg and his partners.
