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therein, any fire or flame’ and
neither will he smoke. The
words are a translation of a
traditional Latin oath, from
the days when libraries
weren’t heated because fires
were so hazardous.
‘It’s bonkers today,’ says
Sara Langdon, assistant
admissions officer, as I’m
finally shown to her desk.
She goes through my forms,
her face serious as she reads
the section where I have to