lavengro-第53章

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taking　it。'



'That　will　never　do；'　said　I；　'more　especially　as　I　should　be　sure　

to　be　caught；　not　having　made　taking　of　things　my　trade；　but　I'll　

tell　you　what　I'll　do　…　try　and　exchange　this　book　of　yours　for　a　

Bible；　who　knows　for　what　great　things　this　same　book　of　yours　may　

serve？'



'Well；　dear；'　said　the　old　woman；　'do　as　you　please；　I　should　like　

to　see　the　…　what　do　you　call　it？　…　Bible；　and　to　read　it；　as　you　

seem　to　think　it　true。'



'Yes；'　said　I；　'seem；　that　is　the　way　to　express　yourself　in　this　

maze　of　doubt　…　I　seem　to　think　…　these　apples　and　pears　seem　to　be　

…　and　here　seems　to　be　a　gentleman　who　wants　to　purchase　either　one　

or　the　other。'



A　person　had　stopped　before　the　apple…woman's　stall；　and　was　

glancing　now　at　the　fruit；　now　at　the　old　woman　and　myself；　he　wore　

a　blue　mantle；　and　had　a　kind　of　fur　cap　on　his　head；　he　was　

somewhat　above　the　middle　stature；　his　features　were　keen；　but　

rather　hard；　there　was　a　slight　obliquity　in　his　vision。　　Selecting　

a　small　apple；　he　gave　the　old　woman　a　penny；　then；　after　looking　

at　me　scrutinisingly　for　a　moment；　he　moved　from　the　booth　in　the　

direction　of　Southwark。



'Do　you　know　who　that　man　is？'　said　I　to　the　old　woman。



'No；'　said　she；　'except　that　he　is　one　of　my　best　customers：　　he　

frequently　stops；　takes　an　apple；　and　gives　me　a　penny；　his　is　the　

only　piece　of　money　I　have　taken　this　blessed　day。　　I　don't　know　

him；　but　he　has　once　or　twice　sat　down　in　the　booth　with　two　

strange…looking　men　…　Mulattos；　or　Lascars；　I　think　they　call　

them。'







CHAPTER　XLV







Bought　and　exchanged　…　Quite　empty　…　A　new　firm　…　Bibles　…　

Countenance　of　a　lion　…　Clap　of　thunder　…　A　truce　with　this　…　I　

have　lost　it　…　Clearly　a　right　…　Goddess　of　the　Mint。



IN　pursuance　of　my　promise　to　the　old　woman；　I　set　about　procuring　

her　a　Bible　with　all　convenient　speed；　placing　the　book　which　she　

had　intrusted　to　me　for　the　purpose　of　exchange　in　my　pocket。　　I　

went　to　several　shops；　and　asked　if　Bibles　were　to　be　had：　　I　found　

that　there　were　plenty。　　When；　however；　I　informed　the　people　that　

I　came　to　barter；　they　looked　blank；　and　declined　treating　with　me；　

saying　that　they　did　not　do　business　in　that　way。　　At　last　I　went　

into　a　shop　over　the　window　of　which　I　saw　written；　'Books　bought　

and　exchanged'：　　there　was　a　smartish　young　fellow　in　the　shop；　

with　black　hair　and　whiskers；　'You　exchange？'　said　I。　　'Yes；'　said　

he；　'sometimes；　but　we　prefer　selling；　what　book　do　you　want？'　　'A　

Bible；'　said　I。　　'Ah；'　said　he；　'there's　a　great　demand　for　Bibles　

just　now；　all　kinds　of　people　are　become　very　pious　of　late；'　he　

added；　grinning　at　me；　'I　am　afraid　I　can't　do　business　with　you；　

more　especially　as　the　master　is　not　at　home。　　What　book　have　you　

brought？'　　Taking　the　book　out　of　my　pocket；　I　placed　it　on　the　

counter：　　the　young　fellow　opened　the　book；　and　inspecting　the　

title…page；　burst　into　a　loud　laugh。　　'What　do　you　laugh　for？'　said　

I；　angrily；　and　half　clenching　my　fist。　　'Laugh！'　said　the　young　

fellow；　'laugh！　who　could　help　laughing？'　　'I　could；'　said　I；　'I　

see　nothing　to　laugh　at；　I　want　to　exchange　this　book　for　a　Bible。'　　

'You　do？'　said　the　young　fellow；　'well；　I　daresay　there　are　plenty　

who　would　be　willing　to　exchange；　that　is；　if　they　dared。　　I　wish　

master　were　at　home；　but　that　would　never　do；　either。　　Master's　a　

family　man；　the　Bibles　are　not　mine；　and　master　being　a　family　man；　

is　sharp；　and　knows　all　his　stock；　I'd　buy　it　of　you；　but；　to　tell　

you　the　truth；　I　am　quite　empty　here；'　said　he；　pointing　to　his　

pocket；　'so　I　am　afraid　we　can't　deal。'



Whereupon；　looking　anxiously　at　the　young　man；　'What　am　I　to　do？'　

said　I；　'I　really　want　a　Bible。'



'Can't　you　buy　one？'　said　the　young　man；　'have　you　no　money？'



'Yes；'　said　I；　'I　have　some；　but　I　am　merely　the　agent　of　another；　

I　came　to　exchange；　not　to　buy；　what　am　I　to　do？'



'I　don't　know；'　said　the　young　man；　thoughtfully　laying　down　the　

book　on　the　counter；　'I　don't　know　what　you　can　do；　I　think　you　

will　find　some　difficulty　in　this　bartering　job；　the　trade　are　

rather　precise。'　　All　at　once　he　laughed　louder　than　before；　

suddenly　stopping；　however；　he　put　on　a　very　grave　look。　　'Take　my　

advice；'　said　he；　'there　is　a　firm　established　in　this　

neighbourhood　which　scarcely　sells　any　books　but　Bibles；　they　are　

very　rich；　and　pride　themselves　on　selling　their　books　at　the　

lowest　possible　price；　apply　to　them；　who　knows　but　what　they　will　

exchange　with　you？'



Thereupon　I　demanded　with　some　eagerness　of　the　young　man　the　

direction　to　the　place　where　he　thought　it　possible　that　I　might　

effect　the　exchange　…　which　direction　the　young　fellow　cheerfully　

gave　me；　and；　as　I　turned　away；　had　the　civility　to　wish　me　

success。



I　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　the　house　to　which　the　young　fellow　

directed　me；　it　was　a　very　large　house；　situated　in　a　square；　and　

upon　the　side　of　the　house　was　written　in　large　letters；　'Bibles；　

and　other　religious　books。'



At　the　door　of　the　house　were　two　or　three　tumbrils；　in　the　act　of　

being　loaded　with　chests；　very　much　resembling　tea…chests；　one　of　

the　chests　falling　down；　burst；　and　out　flew；　not　tea；　but　various　

books；　in　a　neat；　small　size；　and　in　neat　leather　covers；　Bibles；　

said　I；　…　Bibles；　doubtless。　　I　was　not　quite　right；　nor　quite　

wrong；　picking　up　one　of　the　books；　I　looked　at　it　for　a　moment；　

and　found　it　to　be　the　New　Testament。　　'Come；　young　lad；'　said　a　

man　who　stood　by；　in　the　dress　of　a　porter；　'put　that　book　down；　it　

is　none　of　yours；　if　you　want　a　book；　go　in　and　deal　for　one。'



Deal；　thought　I；　deal；　…　the　man　seems　to　know　what　I　am　coming　

about；　…　and　going　in；　I　presently　found　myself　in　a　very　large　

room。　　Behind　a　counter　two　men　stood　with　their　backs　to　a　

splendid　fire；　warming　themselves；　for　the　weather　was　cold。



Of　these　men　one　was　dressed　in　brown；　and　the　other　was　dressed　in　

black；　both　were　tall　men　…　he　who　was　dressed　in　brown　was　thin；　

and　had　a　particularly　ill…natured　countenance；　the　man　dressed　in　

black　was　bulky；　his　features　were　noble；　but　they　were　those　of　a　

lion。



'What　is　your　business；　young　man？'　said　the　precise　personage；　as　

I　stood　staring　at　him　and　his　companion。



'I　want　a　Bible；'　said　I。



'What　price；　what　size？'　said　the　precise…looking　man。



'As　to　size；'　said　I；　'I　should　like　to　have　a　large　one　…　that　is；　

if　you　can　afford　me　one　…　I　do　not　come　to　buy。'



'Oh；　friend；'　said　the　precise…looking　man；　'if　you　come　here　

expecting　to　have　a　Bible　for　nothing；　you　are　mistaken　…　we　…　'



'I　would　scorn　to　have　a　Bible　for　nothing；'　said　I；　'or　anything　

else；　I　came　not　to　beg；　but　to　barter；　there　is　no　shame　in　that；　

especially　in　a　country　like　this；　where　all　folks　barter。'



'Oh；　we　don't　barter；'　said　the　precise　man；　'at　least　Bibles；　you　

had　better　depart。'



'Stay；　brother；'　said　the　man　with　the　countenance　of　a　lion；　'let　

us　ask　a　few　questions；　this　may　be　a　very　important　case；　perhaps　

the　young　man　has　had　convictions。'



'Not　I；'　I　exclaimed；　'I　am　convinced　of　nothing；　and　with　regard　

to　the　Bible　…　I　don't　believe　…　'



'Hey！'　said　the　man　with　the　lion　countenance；　and　there　he　

stopped。　　But　with　that　'Hey'　the　walls　of　the　house　seemed　to　

shake；　the　windows　rattled；　and　the　porter　whom　I　had　seen　in　front　

of　the　house　came　running　up　the　steps；　and　looked　into　the　

apartment　through　the　glass　of　the　door。



There　was　silence　for　about　a　minute　…　the　same　kind　of　silence　

which　succeeds　a　clap　of　thunder。



At　last　the　man　with　the　lion　countenance；　who　had　kept　his　eyes　

fixed　upon　me；　said　calmly；　'Were　you　about　to　say　that　you　don't　

believe　in　the　Bible；　young　man？'



'No　more　than　in　anything　else；'　said　I；　'you　were　talking　of　

convictions　…　I　have　no　convictions。　　It　is　not　easy　to　believe　in　

the　Bible　till　one　is　convinced　that　there　is　a　Bible。'



'He　seems　to　be　insane；'　said　the　prim…looking　man；　'we　had　better　

order　the　porter　to　turn　him　out。'



'I　am　by　no　means　certain；'　said　I；　'that　the　porter　could　turn　me　

out；　always　provided　there　is　a　porter；　and　this　system　of　ours　be　

not　a　lie；　and　a　dream。'



'Come；'　said　the　lion…looking　man；　impatiently；　'a　truce　with　this　

nonsense。　　If　the　porter　cannot　turn　you　out；　perhaps　some　other　

person　can；　but　to　the　point　…　you　want　a　Bible？'



'I　do；'　said　I；　'but　not　for　myself；　I　was　sent　by　another　person　

to　offer　something　in　exchange　for　one。'



'And　who　is　that　person？'



'A　poor　old　woman；　who　has　had　what　you　call　convictions；　…　heard　

voices；　or　thought　she　heard　them　…　I　forgot　to　ask　her　whether　

they　were　loud　ones。'



'What　has　she　sent　to　offer　in　exchange？'　said　the　man；　without　

taking　any　notice　of　the　concluding　part　of　my　speech。



'A　book；'　said　I。



'Let　me　see　it。'



'Nay；　brother；'　said　the　precise　man；　'this　will　never　do；　if　we　

once　adopt　the　system　of　barter；　we　shall　have　all　the　holders　of　

useless　rubbish　in　the　town　applying　to　us。'



'I　wish　to　see　what　he　has　brought；'　said　the　other；　'perhaps　

Baxter；　or　Jewell's　APOLOGY；　either　of　which　would　make　a　valuable　

addition　to　our　collection。　　Well；　young　man；　what's　the　matter　

with　you？'



I　stood　like　one　petrified；　I　had　put　my　hand　into　my　pocket　…　the　

book　was　gone。



'What's　the　matter？'　repeated　the　man　with　the　lion　countenance；　in　

a　voice　very　much　resembling　thunder。



'I　have　it　not　…　I　have　lost　it！'



'A　pretty　story；　truly；'　said　the　precise…looking　man；　'lost　it！　　

You　had　better　retire；'　said　the　other。



'How　shall　I　appear　before　the　party　who　intrusted　me　with　the　

book？　　She　will　certainly　think　that　I　have　purloined　it；　

notwithstanding　all　I　can　say；　nor；　indeed；　can　I　blame　her；　…　

appearances　are　certainly　against　me。'



'They　are　so　…　you　had　better　retire。'



I　moved　towards　the　door。　　'Stay；　young　man；　one　word　more；　there　

is　only　one　way　of　proceeding　which　would　induce　me　to　believe　that　

you　are　sincere。'



'What　is　that？'　said　I；　stopping　and　looking　at　him　anxiously。



'The　purchase　of　a　Bible。'



'Purchase！'　said　I；　'purchase！　　I　came　not　to　purchase；　but　to　

barter；　such　was　my　instruction；　and　how　can　I　barter　if　I　have　

lost　the　book？'



The　other　made　no　answer；　and　turning　away　I　made　for　the　door；　all　

of　a　sudden　I　started；　and　turning　round；　'Dear　me；'　said　I；　'it　

has　just　come　into　my　head；　that　if　the　book　was　lost　by　my　

negligence；　as　it　must　have　been；　I　have　clearly　a　right　to　make　it　

good。'



No　answer。



'Yes；'　I　repeated；　'I　have　clearly　a　right　to　make　it　good；　how　

glad　I　am！　see　the　effect　of　a　little　reflection。　　I　will　purchase　

a　Bible　instantly；　that　is；　if　I　have　not　lost　…　'　and　wit