Page:Carroll - Euclid and His Modern Rivals.djvu/156

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Def. 19. 'Straight Lines, which are not parts of the same straight Line, but have the same direction, are called Parallels.'

Min. A Definition is of course unobjectionable, since it does not assert the existence of the thing defined: in fact, it asserts nothing except the meaning which you intend to attach to the word 'parallel.' But, as this word is used in different senses, I will thank you to substitute for it, in what you have yet to say about this matter, the phrase 'having a separate point, but the same direction,' which you may condense into one compound word, if you like:—'sepuncto-codirectional.'

Nie. (sighing) A terrible word! And I shall have to use it so often!

Min. I will try to abridge it for you. Let us take 'sep-' and 'cod-' from the beginnings of the two words, and '-al' for a termination. That will give us 'sepcodal.'

Nie. That sounds a little harsh.

Min. 'What? Is it harder. Sirs, than Gordon, Colkitto, or Macdonald, or Galasp?'

Nie. (doubtfully) I think I prefer it to Colkitto.' But it is from you Moderns I have learned to be so sensitive about long words. How I would have liked to take you to an Egyptian restaurant I used to frequent, centuries ago, in a phantasmic sort of way, if only to hear the names of some of the dishes! Why, one thought nothing of seeing a gentleman rush in, carpet-bag in hand, and shout out '!' (that was the way we addressed the attendant