have understanding of two the laste chapiters of this seconde
boke, that is to say, good to be somthing, and bad to wante al
maner being. For badde is nothing els but absence of good;
265
and [as] that god in good maketh that good dedes ben good,
in yvel he maketh that they ben but naught, that they ben bad;
for to nothing is badnesse to be [lykned].'
'I have,' quod I tho, 'ynough knowing therin; me nedeth of
other thinges to here, that is to saye, how I shal come to my
270