And lo, it came to pass that the people of Caissa were
summoned unto the place they called North Shields, where there took place a
great smiting across the chequered boards. And the people saw that it was good,
and didst rejoice, and didst offer thanks unto the fair maiden of the North, she that
was called La-ra.
But then there came into the garden a serpent, sent by the
people known as the Plymouth-ites, who didst entice La-ra, offering her great
riches for the people of Caissa, if they wouldst hold their next smiting in the
territory of the Plymouth-ites. And La-ra was tempted, and didst eat of the tree
of the Plymouth-ites.
But the King of Caissa, he that was called Far-thing, had
already bound his people in servitude to the people of the Riviera, and they couldst purchase their freedom only
with a great purse of monies, which they didst not have, for the stores of the
people of Caissa were as bare as the head of the man called Reu-ben. So La-ra
didst approach the people of Riviera, and didst beseech them, that they might
free her people from servitude, saying unto them "Have mercy on us, in the
name of the Lord, and free us from our great penury!"
But when he heard of the words of La-ra, Far-thing didst wax
wroth, and didst pour great imprecations on her head, saying unto her,
"Dost thou know of what thou hast done? Verily art thou the woman of whom
the Scriptures hath warned us, she that is as to the cannon, that is as loose
as the drawers of the one called Jordan".
But the people of Caissa, that were called Ter-mites, were
sore afraid, and didst say amongst themselves "Didst not the prophet warn
us that there be no smoke without fire? Verily must it be so, that Far-thing
doth conceal something from us". And, tho Far-thing didst appeal to the
people to trust him, saying unto them "Oh ye of little faith, dost thou
believe that I would forsake you?", the Ter-mites didst turn towards him the ear that heareth not, and didst cry out "Woe is to us!", and didst prattle on, and on, and on.
And the prattling didst continue, even unto page 94.
