Andrew Cassels Brown

“ And he that leaveth his footprint behind, his foolishness doth condemn him.
5 But whosoever sinneth with prudence, that man shall be exalted unto heaven, and his name, it shall exhale a perfume very sweet.
6 A damsel blusheth because of thee; verily, she is sick of love. If there be an asp in the house, embrace it; it were better this than that.
7 For the thongs with which thou thinkest to have bound her, fool! they are knotted about thyself.
8 The wages of sin is death, but a wife may be given even unto the righteous. ”

“ Verily I say unto thee, Await thine opportunity, for a shell in time is as good as a mine.
12 Remember, my son, that the sum of two and two maketh four; yet in the reports of thine enemy thou shalt find it otherwise.
13 And because the pen is mightier than the sword, therefore believe it not, else shalt thou surely be deceived.
14 Verily I say unto thee, Blessed is the man that hath imagination, for his country shall win many battles.
15 Take ye heed of the lone voice, for in a multitude of counsellors thou shalt find confusion. ”

“ And whilst I slumbered, lo! a vision came unto me in a dream, and I beheld things.
16 And I saw a river that was wide; and the beginning and the end of it, they did reach beyond man's sight.
17 And on one side of the river, it was War; and on the other side of the river, it was Peace.
18 And, even as I looked, there came one David, a man of Cam, and chief amongst the rulers in the land of En.
19 And in his right hand he did carry a flaming sword; and in his left hand he did carry a picture of the man Winston. And he took up his stand at the crossing over of the river. ”

“ Verily, the patience of Job was not tried as the patience of the men of En in the days when they waged war.
12 And the people said unto the rulers, Why do ye these things, ye men of little understanding? Are we children that ye treat us thus, and have ye no faith in the strength of our conviction?
13 All those things that are safe for us to know, them shall ye tell unto us. And if the tidings be good, assuredly we will rejoice. And if the tidings be bad, they shall but serve to fortify our purpose. The tempest disturbeth the waters, the tempest revealeth the rock. ”

“ And scandal, it is the father of more children than are.
12 Judge not a man according to the look of him, else shalt thou be many times deceived.
13 For the brightest button, is it the chief upon thy raiment? Nay, neither doth it support thy necessary garment.
14 The young man, he loveth easily, but at two score years he waxeth discreet.
15 The damsel, she loveth easily, and at two score years she waxeth easier.
16 In the heat of the desert, then think of Hell, for it is a pleasant thought that will comfort thee somewhat.
17 Thine enemy hurleth a missile. ”

“ And whosoever loveth enough, he hath his justification.
15 But woe unto that man who taketh unto himself a wife for the sake of it; a million tears will not suffice for to drown her in.
16 But he that marrieth his beloved in haste, seeking happiness, that man assuredly hath a dog's chance; and he that taketh time about the business, is not his risk also great? ”

“ And she rose up. And he spake unto her again, saying, Tell me, I beseech thee, the reason of thy supplication; for he was full of prudence, and, because she was a woman, therefore did he trust her not.
36 And after she had kissed his hand, she said unto him, Behold, my lord, thine handmaiden hath got her a measure of tea, and it lacketh sweetness.
37 Therefore, I pray thee that thou givest unto me a morsel of sugar, for thy servant, she thirsteth mightily.
38 And when he saw how it was with her, he gave her a morsel of sugar, being the sugar that he had brought with him. ”

“ Of what is the oak and of what the trees that were round about?
26 ¶ And Bern answered him, saying, The nurseryman is the Lord of Hosts. The oak that He planted, it is thyself, O king; and the trees that would choke it, they are the nations that dwell round about.
27 The axe is thine army, and the servant of the husbandman is he whom thou shalt make to be the captain over all thine host.
28 And when Willi heard the things that the wise man did say, he was well pleased ”

“ And they would shed a few tears for the hardness of their lot.
9 Nevertheless, the vendors of apparel did flourish in that day; neither did the women of the land go naked before the world.
10 ¶ Now the days that men called Flag Days, they did grow in number beyond all computation.
11 And the sellers of flags, they did infest every place, so that to escape from them, it was beyond the power of man.
12 And whensoever a man did venture forth from his habitation on a day that was a flag day, assuredly, that man, he was lost. ”

“ It cometh through the air for to out thee. If thou art a fool, remove not from that place. But if thou art wise, then haste thee quickly away.
18 For every snail hath its shell, and he getteth it on his back; but the laggard, he getteth it in the neck.
19 Howbeit, it is not always the quick man that goeth first over the top.
20 A damsel inclineth towards thee. She regardeth thee with soft eyes and there is meaning in her glance.
21 Peradventure thou hast a blot upon the beauty of thy face which annoyeth thee continually. ”

“ And he commanded his servants that they should bring unto him the brazen mask, being part of the royal attire; and he did put it on.
13 And after that it was on, he did raise his voice on high, and he spake, saying,
14 What of the land of Amer? And what of it? Verily, a pin that lieth in the way, it is of more account than a spike that lifteth its head at a distance.
15 And the iron heel of Hu, it levelleth all things; neither shall any man dare to withstand it. ”

“ Verily, many go forth unto the wars but the number of them that return, it is not so great. Therefore is it necessary for them that are of an age to make them families, else in what manner shall the nation endure. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Only amongst the Pharisees was it not so, and these men of little mind did glorify him with a great praise.
9 ¶ Now it came to pass when the rulers of the land of En took counsel, the one with the other, concerning whether they should make them a war, there were some that did say, Let us make a war, for an honourable pledge demandeth fulfilment; nought can absolve a nation from its plighted word, and we are what we are. ”

“ Now there came a time when there was no more food in En save only enough for to feed the people.
2 And the gluttons of the land cried out in their vexation, because they glutted them no more.
3 And it became a custom amongst the people that they should hie them unto the bazaar for to wait without the portal of it.
4 ¶ And they would gather themselves together in a line hoping that, perchance, a little meat would be vouchsafed unto them.
5 And they did complain loudly amongst themselves and did make their faces of a length; and they cursed the rulers shamefully. ”

“ Let us therefore hasten about it lest, peradventure, we meet with an hindrance upon the way.
5 For the women of that time were a crafty lot and they did beguile their men with soft words; and the wiles of Bathsheba, that did wash herself, were as nothing in comparison to these, for they were full of artfulness. ”

“ And she would make answer unto him and she would say, Thine handmaiden, she is a stranger in the city,
28 Nevertheless, she hath received a warning concerning men, that they be wicked and full of naughtiness. ”

“ Wherefore there was a dearth of paper in the land and the price of it became an high one.
10 And they that were dealers in books demanded five shekels of silver for their wares; and before, they did ask only four shekels of silver and six pieces of copper.
11 Nevertheless, there yet remained some in the land that bought them books for to read: and the rest of the people, recking not the waste of paper, did take up their pens, and they did write. And Artemas, the scribe, he was one of these. ”

“ Nay, rather doth it entice him because it sitteth aloof. Do thou, therefore, in like manner.
20 ¶ When a young man speaketh unto thee concerning a miracle that hath saved him his life, then open thine eyes into his, and call him wonderful.
21 For in this manner shalt thou remove the credit of it from the miracle and he will believe thy words. And he will perceive in thee a multitude of charms that erstwhile had been hid.
22 ¶ When a young man embraceth thee, say not unto him that he is the first for to do it; else will he think that thou speakest lies ”

“ And because they had not done this thing before, but had waited until the people raised them a clamour, therefore were the rulers blamed exceedingly.
27 Nevertheless, those that rebelled against it because they did have consciences, these were not sent out for to fight.
28 But some of them were set to work upon matters of health, which was a loathsome duty and abhorred by them who, being without a conscience, went out against the enemy.
29 ¶ And when all the men that were of full vigour had been taken, there was an end to the murmuring of the people. ”

“ Now there was in the host of En a great number of men that did come from afar off; neither considered they distance as anything against the righteousness of a just cause.
2 And there were men of Anz, and men of Cann, and men of Ind, and men of Saf, and men that did come from other lands also. And all of them were hardy men and full of valour, so that no man could say concerning them, Behold, these people, they are more valiant than the others. ”

“ In our houses there are many fires and the women do put them hot bricks into our beds so that our feet suffer not when the night groweth cold.
9 And if we go out for to fight, verily, the rain from heaven will fall upon us and it will make us wet. And a skin that is wet affecteth the nose.
10 And the food that we shall eat, it will lie heavy upon our stomachs; neither will the women sustain us with hot bricks. ”

“ And when men from the land of Ire took power into their own hands and did rule over En, there was no one amongst the rulers to say them nay.
5 And the men of Ire exacted tribute from the rulers, and the people of the land rebelled not; for penury doth bring forth wisdom, but prosperity breedeth only fools. And the prosperity of the land of En was great. ”

“ Also, it is a secret.
14 And I did ope mine ears full wide for to hear, notwithstanding that he was that manner of man that expoundeth nought save only the things that be secret.
15 And he did say unto his friend, Nevertheless, because thou hast an open countenance and art, moreover, that man whom my soul loveth,
16 Therefore dost thou prevail upon me to impart unto thee that which thou shalt tell unto no man.
17 ¶ For I, even I, am he that did write the Book that is of Artemas. ”

“ And a man that is not insured, to die were the last of his follies.
22 Moreover, because the card of his exemption, it was lost, therefore, in either case, he was become of the fighters of En.
23 Yea, even though he were possessed of the joker, nevertheless, it availed him nothing; for it was a new game, and the joker was not in the pack.
24 ¶ And certain of the people did gather them victuals secretly and in great abundance, and they did put them on one side and they did hoard. ”

“ CHAPTER XII. 1 Concerning those that went not forth for to fight. 14 The rulers commune together on the matter. 17 And call out all the young men. 18 But certain are absolved. 25 Wherefore many are combed out. 29 And the people are satisfied. 31 Each man payeth for his own strong drink.
And when the fighters had gone forth unto the war, there yet remained certain men that were strong and sound of limb. And every man that went not forth, he had his reason. ”

“ Yea, notwithstanding that men do say he hath got shekels in abundance, nevertheless, I have a feeling towards him in spite of it.
11 And the damsel unto whom she did speak, she would make answer, and she would say, Verily, there are many that will envy thee because of thy captain. And now will I tell thee something also.
12 There is a certain man and he is of an high rank, being even one that captains do salute. And he is that man who doth say unto me the things that I shall write. ”

“ Men cursed him in the market places, in the sight of the publicans he was a thing unclean, and his name stank vilely in the nostrils of the priests.
8 Verily, to love En and David both, was not thought possible by many. ”