HereIinterruptedthejockey。\"Howsingular，\"saidI，\"isthefallanddebasementofwords；youtalkofagang，orset，ofshorters；youare，perhaps，notawarethatgangandsetwere，athousandyearsago，onlyconnectedwiththegreatandDivine；theyareancientNorsewords，whichmaybefoundintheheroicpoemsofthenorth，andintheEdda，acollectionofmythologicandheroicsongs。InthesepoemswereadthatsuchandsuchakinginvadedNorwaywithagangofheroes；orsoandso，forexample，ErikBloodaxe，wasadmittedtothesetofgods；butatpresentgangandsetaremerelyappliedtothevilestofthevile，andthelowestofthelow，—wesayagangofthievesandshorters，orasetofauthors。Howtouchingisthisdebasementofwordsinthecourseoftime；
itputsmeinmindofthedecayofoldhousesandnames。I
haveknownaMortimerwhowasahedgerandditcher，aBernerswhowasborninaworkhouse，andadescendantoftheDeBurghs，whoborethefalcon，mendingoldkettles，andmakinghorseandponyshoesinadingle。\"
\"Oddenough，\"saidthejockey；\"butyouweresayingyouknewoneBerners—manorwoman？Iwouldask。\"
\"Awoman，\"saidI。