At any rate he remarked that the truth or falsity of what I said was an urgent matter for him, as he could not expect to live more than a few hundred years longer, though perhaps he might prolong the period by another spell of sleep.

Then he asked me why I thought him so wicked.

I replied because he himself said that he had drowned millions of people, which showed an evil heart and intention even if it were not a fact.

He thought a long while and asked what could be done in the circumstances.

I replied that repentance and reparation were the only courses open to him." "Reparation!" I exclaimed.
"Yes, reparation was what I said, though I think I made a mistake there, as you will see.