( his appetite is sated enough that he signals for the footman to take his plate. the food was not the kind he usually eats for dinner, but it was fine enough that atticus won't go to bed starving. as the footman takes the plate, atticus reaches for his goblet to drink. it is then that miss bennet directs her remark at him. )

Thank you, I shall. ( he sets his glass down. ) But I have little hope that I will find his observations accurate. These days, commentary and historiography are so predicated on bias and sentimentality that they have lost their purpose and credibility. Idealization has blinded many to the realities and mistakes of these societies. They built these grand edifices and spoke wise words, so they did no wrong. I believe they deserve our reverence and we should drink from their fountain of knowledge, but not in the sycophantic way that is commonly practised. ( he takes another sip of his water. ) However, perhaps Mr. Stirling will be the exception, and some of our opinions will run parallel ( , he concedes tactfully. normally, he does not readily dismiss a book before examining it himself. but, after so many inaccurate and fulsome analyses of history that serve nothing but to support a group's claim of greatness and destiny, he is weary. for him, though, the assurance is never in question as atticus's true opinions will parallel those expressed in mr. bernard stirling's book.

because atticus is mr. bernard stirling. )