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。“’