1 Lucky Saint George from his knight's saddle could exactly evaluate the strength and movements of the dragon the first principle of strategy is to assess the enemy accurately Mr Cogito is in a worse position he sits in the low saddle of a valley covered with thick fog through fog it is impossible to perceive fiery eyes greedy claws jaws through fog one sees only the shimmering of nothingnessthe monster of Mr Cogito has no measurements it is difficult to describe escapes definition it is like an immense depression spread out over the country it can't be pierced with a pen with an argument or spear were it not for its suffocating weight and the death it sends down one would think it is the hallucination of a sick imagination but it exists for certain it exists like carbon monoxide it fills houses temples markets poisons wells destroys the structures of the mind covers bread with mould the proof of the existence of the monster is its victims it is not direct proof but sufficient2 reasonable people say we can live together with the monster we only have to avoid sudden movements sudden speech if there is a threat assume the form of a rock or a leaf listen to wise Nature recommending mimicry that we breathe shallowly pretend we aren't there Mr Cogito however does not want a life of make-believe he would like to fight with the monster on firm ground so he walks out at dawn into a sleepy suburb carefully equipped with a long sharp object he calls to the monster on the empty streets he offends the monster provokes the monster like a bold skirmisher of an army that doesn't exist he calls - come out contemptible coward through the fog one sees only the huge snout of
Mr Cogito wants to enter the uneven battle it ought to happen possibly soon before there is a fall from inertia an ordinary death without glory suffocation from formlessness
