If that point be distant?

[Torsten]

I'm just reading a book that was written by an Australian at the beginning of the 20th century. He sometimes uses the infinitive be in the conditional II:

When you step into your automobile, you naturally picture in mind a given point of destination and turn your face in that direction. If that point be distant, you maybe become diverted onto wrong roads many times...

So, was this an accepted form of the conditional at that time?
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[Yankee]

Hi Torsten

That sounds like the subjunctive form of be rather than an "infinitive".

I can't say how common the usage is or was in Australian English, though.
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