"Why, yes: and surely thirty-two whole words should be enough for
the most exacting."
"But is it magic? are you certain it is authentic magic?"
"I have learned that there is always magic in words."
"Now, if you ask my opinion, Jurgen, your cantrap is nonsense, and
can never be of any earthly use to anybody. Without boasting, dear,
I have handled a great deal of black magic in my day, but I never
encountered a spell at all like this."
"None the less, my darling, it is evidently a cantrap, for else the
Master Philologist would never have given it to me."
"But how are you to use it, pray?"
"Why, as need directs," said Jurgen, and he put the parchment into
the pocket of his glittering shirt. "Yes, I repeat, there is always
something to be done with words, and here are thirty-two authentic
words from the Master Philologist himself, not to speak of three
commas and a full-stop. Oh, I shall certainly go far with this."
"We women have firmer faith in the sword," replied Anaïtis. "At all
events, you and I cannot remain upon this thaumaturgist's porch
indefinitely."
So Anaïtis put up Caliburn, and carried it from the thaumaturgist's
unpretentious residence to her fine palace in the old twilit wood:
and afterward, as everybody knows, she gave this sword to King
Arthur, who with its aid rose to be hailed as one of the Nine
Worthies of the World. So did the husband of Guenevere win for
himself eternal fame with that which Jurgen flung away.
26.