―The Forster family, Temple said, is descended from Baldwin the First, king of Flanders. He was called the Forester. Forester and Forster are the same name. A descendant of Baldwin the First, captain Francis Forster, settled in Ireland and married the daughter of the last chieftain of Clanbrassil. Then there are the Blake Forsters. That’s a different branch.
―From Baldhead, king of Flanders, Cranly repeated, rooting again deliberately at his gleaming uncovered teeth.
―Where did you pick up all that history? O’Keeffe asked.
―I know all the history of your family, too, Temple said, turning to Stephen. Do you know what Giraldus Cambrensis says about your family?
―Is he descended from Baldwin too? asked a tall consumptive student with dark eyes.
―Baldhead, Cranly repeated, sucking at a crevice in his teeth.
― Pernobilis et pervetusta familia , Temple said to Stephen.
The stout student who stood below them on the steps farted briefly. Dixon turned towards him, saying in a soft voice:
―Did an angel speak?
Cranly turned also and said vehemently but without anger:
―Goggins, you’re the flamingest dirty devil I ever met, do you know.
―I had it on my mind to say that, Goggins answered firmly. It did no one any harm, did it?
―We hope, Dixon said suavely, that it was not of the kind known to science as a paulo post futurum .