The Monster Of Mr Cogito

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