English as she was wrote in the year 1922 of the Common Era

Now spake Spitfire saying, "Read forth to us, I pray thee, the book
of Gro; for my soul is afire to set forth on this faring."

"'Tis writ somewhat crabbedly," said Brandoch Daha, "and most damnably long.
I spent half last night a-searching on't, and 'tis most apparent no other way
lieth to these mountains save . . . (if Gro say true) but one . . ."

"If he say true?" said Spitfire. "He is a turncoat and a renegado.
Wherefore not therefore a liar?"

"But a philosopher," answered Juss. "I knew him well of old . . .
and I judge him to be one who is not false save only in policy. Subtle
of mind he is, and dearly loveth plotting and scheming, and, as I think,
perversely affecteth ever the losing side if he be drawn into any quarrel
. . . But in this book of his travels he must needs speak truth,
as it seemeth to me, to be true to his own self."

        --E.R. Eddison, _The Worm Ouroboros_

--
John Cowan                              <jcowan@...>
http://www.ccil.org/~cowan              http://www.reutershealth.com
                Charles li reis, nostre emperesdre magnes,
                Set anz totz pleinz ad ested in Espagnes.

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