"still I'd fear I'd hate to say!"

(166.20-168.14)  Shaun begins today's reading with yet another digression.  This time, he says that he's closely watching Master Pules, the infant urinating into the ditch, because Shaun suspects the "little man" of being a "secondary schoolteacher under the boards of education."  The boy, Shaun says, may be concealing his babysitter's "more mascular personality."  But, in the end, he says he'll save his "solotions" for "the proper paturience" of mothers and the education of "micturious mites" until after he finishes dealing with Margareen.

We now get the full story of Burrus, Caseous, and Margareen.  Margareen is very fond of both Burrus and Caseous.  But while the two men are "contending for her misstery," Margareen becomes involved with "an elusive Antonius."  Antonius has a personal interest in "refined chees" (Caseous) but also is "rude like the boor" (Burrus).  We thus have an "Antonius-Burrus-Caseous grouptriad."  Margareen is in the middle of this grouptriad, with love for each man (is it too low brow to call it a love triangle?), while Burrus and Caseous serve as the two base points that culminate with Antonius, who incorporates the diametrically opposed Burrus and Caseous and stands at the top of the triangle.  The idea that Burrus and Caseous represent Shaun and Shem is reinforced when the relationship of A, B, and C is equated to the relationship of eggs (X), whey (Y), and zeed (Z) in the "hyperchemical economantarchy," which contains the initials of HCE, the father of the twins Shaun and Shem.

So, this is how "qualis" can be equivalent with "talis."  Shaun takes another opportunity to congratulate himself and boast of his authority and intelligence.  He concludes his answer by going to back to where he started.  If a man who didn't fear the God of Moses, who had no reverence for the world's law, and who exiled himself from his homeland (among other things) came to Shaun in a storm begging for help, would Shaun kick him out?  Yes, even if the beggar were his own brother.  Question 11 is thus answered conclusively.

The twelfth question and answer total four words.  The question is, "Sacer esto?"  This roughly translates to (props to McHugh), "Let him be accursed?"  (This seems to refer to the beggar from the last question.)  The answer is, "Semus sumus!"  In one sense the answer says, "Shem we are."  In another, it's, "Shem the same," or, "The same we are."  It accordingly appears that Shem is the accursed one forsaken by his brother.  

Looking ahead, this leads us directly into the next chapter, which I'll start tomorrow.  (Aren't we finally getting on a roll, now?)