Page:Karel Čapek - The Absolute at Large (1927).djvu/159

 "Why did you have that stuff set up in type? Did you think, too?"

"Oh, no, sir," protested the printer. "I have to set what they send me"

"Nobody has to do anything but what I want," Bishop Linda declared decisively. "Jost, sit down and read the drivel you put together this morning. Read it, I tell you."

"For a long time past," Father Jost read, in trembling tones, from his own leading article—"for a long time past the public has been disturbed by the knavish imposture "

"What?"

"Knavish imposture, my lord," groaned Father Jost. "I thought—I—I see now "

"What do you see?"

"That 'knavish imposture' is a little too forcible."

"So I should think. Read on!"

" knavish imposture carried on with the so-called Absolute by means of which the Freemasons, the Jews and other progressives are befooling the world. It has been scientifically demonstrated "

"Look at Jost! Look at him!" cried Bishop Linda. "He has scientifically demonstrated something! Read on."

" scientifically demonstrated," stammered the unfortunate Jost, "that the so-called Absolute