Mark Spain Reflection

Mark Spain ReflectionMark Spain Pure EleganceMark Spain Only You
fact he'd packed his broom and his bonsai mountains and had gone by secret tunnels and devious means to the hidden valley in the central peaks, where the abbot was waiting for him. The abbot was playing chess in the long gallery that overlooked the valley. Fountains bubbled in the gardens, and swallows flew in and out of the windows.
"All went well.
"Er . . . you know the books say that Brutha died and there was a century of terrible warfare?"
"You know my eyesight isn't what it was, Lu-Tze."
"Well . . . it's not entirely like that now."
"Just so long as it all turns out all right in the end," said the abbot.
"Yes, lord," said the history monk.
"There are a few weeks before your next assignment. Why don't you have a little rest?" said the abbot, without looking up."Very well, lord," said Lu-Tze. "I had to nudge things a little, though.""I wish you wouldn't do that sort of thing," said the abbot, fingering a pawn. "You'll overstep the mark one day.""It's the history we've got these days," said Lu-Tze. "Very shoddy stuff, lord. I have to patch it up all the time-”"Yes, Yes-”"We used to get much better history in the old days.""Things were always better than they are now. It's in the nature of things.""Yes, lord. Lord?"The abbot looked up in mild exasperation