to_number := proc(mess)
    local sl, cn, sn, ii, ntable;
    ntable := table(['a'=0, 'b'=1, 'c'=2, 'd'=3, 'e'=4,
              'f'=5, 'g'=6, 'h'=7, 'i'=8, 'j'=9, 'k'=10,
              'l'=11, 'm'=12, 'n'=13, 'o'=14, 'p'=15,
              'q'=16, 'r'=17, 's'=18, 't'=19, 'u'=20,
              'v'=21, 'w'=22, 'x'=23, 'y'=24, 'z'=25]):
    sl := length(mess);
    cn := 0;
    for ii from 1 to sl do
        sn := ntable[substring(mess, ii..ii)]:
        cn := 100*cn + sn:
    od:
    RETURN(cn):
end: