Childermass shrugged. “Findhelm certainly believed it. In Richmond I discovered two old people who had been servants in Findhelm’s house in their youth. They said that the King’s book was the pride of his existence. He was Guardian of The Book first, and all else – husband, parent, farmer – second.” Childermass paused. “The greatest glory and the greatest burden given to any man in this Age,” he mused. “Findhelm seems to have been a theoretical magician himself in a small way. He bought books about magic and paid a magician in Northallerton to teach him. But one thing struck me as very curious – both these old servants insisted that Findhelm never read the King’s book and had only the vaguest notion of what it contained.”

“Ah!” exclaimed Mr Norrell, softly.

Lascelles and Childermass looked at him.

“So he could not read it,” said Mr Norrell. “Well, that is very …” He fell silent, and began to chew on his fingernails.

“Perhaps it was in Latin,” suggested Lascelles.

“And why do you assume that Findhelm did not know Latin?” replied Childermass with some irritation. “Just because he was a farmer …”

“Oh! I meant no disrespect to farmers in general, I assure you,” laughed Lascelles. “The occupation has its utility. But farmers are not in general known for their classical scholarship. Would this person even have recognized Latin when he saw it?”

Childermass retorted that of course Findhelm would have recognized Latin. He was not a fool.

To which Lascelles coldly replied that he had never said he was.