Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/368

330 "To paint a dog green!" cried Bruno. "Oo can begin wiz its mouf, and I'll"

"No, no!" said the Professor. "We haven't got to the Experiments yet. And so," returning to his note-book, "I'll give you the Axioms of Science. After that I shall exhibit some Specimens. Then I shall explain a Process or two. And I shall conclude with a few Experiments. An Axiom, you know, is a thing that you accept without contradiction. For instance, if I were to say 'Here we are!', that would be accepted without any contradiction, and it's a nice sort of remark to begin a conversation with. So it would be an Axiom. Or again, supposing I were to say 'Here we are not!'. that would be"

"a fib!" cried Bruno.

"Oh, Bruno!" said Sylvle in a warning whisper. "Of course it would be an Axiom, if the Professor said it!"

"that would be accepted, if people were civil," continued the Professor; "so It would be another Axiom."

"It might be an Axledum," Bruno said: "but it wouldn't be true!"