CHAPTER XVII.
1 The city of Lon is divided into parts. 4 Certain men get them new names. 7 An heavy tax is imposed upon the traders. 11 A dearth of paper arises in the land. 13 Concerning Northcliffe. 16 And concerning Welz. 22 Strange chariots are seen throughout the land. 25 The ways of the charioteers.
All Gaul is divided into three parts; but at the time when there was war, the city of Lon, it was divided into more parts than three. And unto each part there was a number given.
2 And it was ordained that whosoever should write him an epistle unto any man of Lon, he should write also the number of the part upon the outside of it.
3 And all the people obeyed the commandment. But the rulers, and the servants of the rulers, they obeyed it not, being exercised with the business of the war so that they forgot all else.
4 ¶ Now there were certain men and their names, they were framed after the manner of those of Hu. And it was a cause of continual trouble unto them that their names, they were what they were.
5 And they gathered themselves together and they did commune, the one with the other, concerning their infirmity. And they cursed the days of their births, and did pour loud murmurings of anger upon the heads of their ancestors.
6 And, afterwards, they gat them new names. Yea, whatsoever name seemed good unto them, that name did they take for themselves, so that no man ever again did hold up his hands in horror at the mention of them.
7 ¶ Now the rulers laid a tax upon the profits of all the traders that did make benefit during the time when there was war. And it was an heavy tax, so that little was left over.
8 Wherefore all the traders set them out for to make that kind of money that is not amongst the profits. And they were hard put to for to do it.
9 And they became full of generosity towards their servants, and they did exercise great care in the preservation of their buildings, nor grudged a little money for to make them beautiful.
10 Yea, they were full of craft, and their cunning filled the hearts of the righteous sort with envy. And the money that they did make, verily, it was not all of the kind that is amongst the profits.
11 ¶ Now it came to pass that a great dearth of paper arose throughout the land, and all the people were afraid because of it, And they reasoned amongst themselves, the one with the other, saying,
12 By what means shall the scribes instruct us if, so be it, the paper be taken away? And who shall train us up in the way we should go?
13 ¶ And there was a certain man, and his name, it was Northcliffe. And he called all the people unto him, and he spake unto them.
14 And he went down on his knees before them, and he besought them earnestly and with many tears that they should refrain from buying that paper which did bear the sign of The Times.
15 And the power of his eloquence, it did move them mightily. Also, his paper was of the cost of two pennies at a time when two farthings sufficed for another. Wherefore many did hearken unto his prayer.
16 ¶ Now there was a learned scribe, and his name, it was Welz. And he was the first amongst all the men of En that did fly unto the moon.
17 And it came to pass that he did set out for to get him paper, and he did get it. Yea, notwithstanding that it was a time of war, nevertheless, he did get him a great abundance of paper.
18 And after it was got together, he sate him down upon a seat, and he did write. And after the writing was finished, he called certain men unto him, and he did flip his fingers, and he said unto them,
19 Behold, there is a new God come to be over us. For I that know, I have written it. And what I have writ, verily, it is. And it was not.
20 And he did get him more paper, and he sate him down again, and he did write. And after the writing was finished, he called certain men unto him, and he did flip his fingers, and he said unto them,
21 Behold, there is no king for to reign over us. For I that know, I have written it. And what I have writ, verily, it is. And it was not.
22 ¶ Now it came to pass about this time that many strange chariots were seen throughout the land. And each one did carry upon it a mighty bag, a puffed out thing of wonderful design.
23 And they were those chariots that erstwhile had been wont to take their motion from a tank but, being converted, they now did take it from the bag.
24 Nevertheless, it was whispered amongst the people that notwithstanding that the bag, it was full, yet would they move not when the tank was empty. Wherefore many did doubt the sincerity of their conversion.
25 ¶ Now whensoever it happened that a young man approached unto the driver of a public chariot seeking for to hire him at a price, then would the charioteer consider him for to see the manner of man that he was.
26 And he would look upon the countenance of the young man; yea, from the crown of his head unto the soles that were upon his feet, he would observe him narrowly.
27 And if the young man pleased him, he would say unto him, Because thou hast found favour in mine eyes, therefore am I content. And the hire, it shall be at a price.
28 But if the young man was ill-favoured nor found favour in the eyes of the charioteer because he carried a mean look, then would the charioteer say unto him,
29 Begone, thou man of little promise, for what have I to do with thee? Also, the wheels of my chariot are lacking in wind, and I am a man that hath an empty tank.
30 Yea, howsoever it was, verily, he would have his reason. And after he had finished speaking, then would he haste him away for to seek the man of his choice.