第62章

tookituponeday，andthoughtImightmakesomethingbyittosupportmyselfadaywith。Chanceorsomethingelseledmeintoagrandshop；therewasamantherewhoseemedtobethemaster，talkingtoajolly，portlyoldgentleman，whoseemedtobeacountrysquire。Well，Iwentuptothefirst，andoffereditforsale；hetookthebook，openeditatthetitle-page，andthenallofasuddenhiseyesglistened，andheshowedittothefat，jollygentleman，andhiseyesglistenedtoo，andIheardhimsay“Howsingular!“andthenthetwotalkedtogetherinaspeechIdidn’tunderstand-IratherthoughtitwasFrench，atanyrateitwasn’tcant；andpresentlythefirstaskedmewhatIwouldtakeforthebook。NowIamnotaltogetherafool，noramIblind，andIhadnarrowlymarkedallthatpassed，anditcameintomyheadthatnowwasthetimeformakingamanofmyself，atanyrateIcouldlosenothingbyalittleconfidence；soIlookedthemanboldlyintheface，andsaid，“Iwillhavefiveguineasforthatbook，thereain’tsuchanotherinthewholeworld。““Nonsense，“saidthefirstman，“thereareplentyofthem，therehavebeennearlyfiftyeditions，tomyknowledge；Iwillgiveyoufiveshillings。““No，“

saidI，“I’llnottakeit，forIdon’tliketobecheated，sogivememybookagain“；andIattemptedtotakeitawayfromthefatgentleman’shand。“Stop，“saidtheyoungerman；“areyousurethatyouwon’ttakeless？““Notafarthing，“saidI；whichwasnotaltogethertrue，butIsaidso。“Well，“saidthefatgentleman，“I

willgiveyouwhatyouask“；andsureenoughhepresentlygavemethemoney；soImadeabow，andwasleavingtheshop，whenitcameintomyheadthattherewassomethingoddinallthis，and，asI

hadthemoneyinmypocket，Iturnedback，and，makinganotherbow，said，“MayIbesoboldastoaskwhyyougavemeallthismoneyforthat’eredirtybook？WhenIcameintotheshop，Ishouldhavebeengladtogetashillingforit；butIsawyouwantedit，andaskedfiveguineas。“Thentheylookedatoneanother，andsmiled，andshruggeduptheirshoulders。Thenthefirstman，lookingatme，said，“Friend，youhavebeenalittletoosharpforus；

however，wecanaffordtoforgiveyou，asmyfriendherehaslongbeeninquestofthisparticularbook；thereareplentyofeditions，asItoldyou，andacommoncopyisnotworthfiveshillings；butthisisafirstedition，andacopyofthefirsteditionisworthitsweightingold。“’

’So，afterall，theyoutwittedyou，’Iobserved。

’Clearly，’saidtheman；’Imighthavegotdoubletheprice，hadI

knownthevalue；butIdon’tcare，muchgoodmayitdothem，ithasdonemeplenty。BymeansofitIhavegotintoanhonest，respectabletrade，inwhichthere’slittledangerandplentyofprofit，andgotoutofonewhichwouldhavegotmelagged，soonerorlater。’

’But，’saidI，’yououghttorememberthatthethingwasnotyours；

youtookitfromme，whohadbeenrequestedbyapooroldapple-

womantoexchangeitforaBible。’

’Well，’saidtheman，’didsheevergetherBible？’

’Yes，’saidI，’shegotherBible。’

’Thenshehasnocausetocomplain；and，asforyou，c