Page:The Zankiwank & the Bletherwitch (IA zankiwankblether00fitziala).pdf/147

 aims at making a mystery of everything, but so many people not engaged in trade make a mystery of nothing every day, that he is sadly handicapped. And most sensible people hate a mystery of any kind, unless it belongs to themselves, so that he finds customers very shy. Once upon a time he would get hold of a simple story and turn it into such a gigantic mystery that all the world would be mystified. But those happy days are gone, and he thinks of turning his business into a company to sell Original Ideas, when he knows where to find them.”

“I don’t see what good can come of making a mystery of anything—especially if anything is true,” sagaciously remarked Maude.

“But anything is not true. Nor is anything untrue. There is the difficulty. If anything were true, nothing would be untrue, and then where should we be?”

“Nowhere,” said Willie without thinking.

“Exactly. That is just where we are now, and a very nice place it is. There is one thing, however, that Jorumgander the Younger—there