Babel

by R.F. Kuang

I’ve got questions too. What do you call yourself?’ ‘Robin Swift,’ said Robin, puzzled. ‘You know that.’ ‘But that’s the name you prefer?’ Robin was not sure what he meant by this. ‘I mean, there’s my first – I mean, my Chinese name, but no one – I don’t—’ ‘Fine,’ said Griffin. ‘Swift. Nice name. How’d you come up with that?’ ‘Gulliver’s Travels,’ Robin admitted. It sounded very silly when he said it out loud. Everything about Griffin made him feel like a child in contrast. ‘It – it’s one of my favourite books. Professor Lovell said to pick whatever I liked, and that was the first name that came to mind.’ Griffin’s lip curled. ‘He’s softened a bit, then. Me, he took to a street corner before we signed the papers and told me foundlings were often named after the places they’d been abandoned. Said I could walk the city until I found a word that didn’t sound too ridiculous.’