People who would not believe a High Priest if he said the sky was blue, and was able to produce signed affidavits to this effect from his white-haired old mother and three Vestal virgins, would trust just about anything whispered darkly behind their hand by a complete stranger in a pub.

Terry Pratchett (1948-2015) English author
Discworld, Book 18, Maskerade (1995)
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