But，asIhavesaidbefore，shewasnowdissatisfiedwiththebook，andwithmostotherthingsinwhichshehadtakenpleasure；shedweltmuchonthewords，’Thoushaltnotsteal’；shehadneverstolenthingsherself，butthenshehadboughtthingswhichotherpeoplehadstolen，andwhichsheknewhadbeenstolen；andherdearsonhadbeenathief，whichheperhapswouldnothavebeenbutfortheexamplewhichshesethiminbuyingthingsfromcharacters，asshecalledthem，whoassociatedwithher。
Oninquiringhowshehadbecomeacquaintedwiththesecharacters，I
learnedthattimeshadgonehardwithher；thatshehadmarried，butherhusbandhaddiedafteralongsickness，whichhadreducedthemtogreatdistress；thatherfruittradewasnotaprofitableone，andthatshehadboughtandsoldthingswhichhadbeenstolentosupportherselfandherson。Thatforalongtimeshesupposedtherewasnoharmindoingso，asherbookwasfullofentertainingtalesofstealing；butshenowthoughtthatthebookwasabadbook，andthatlearningtoreadwasabadthing；hermotherhadneverbeenabletoread，buthaddiedinpeace，thoughpoor。
Soherewasawomanwhoattributedthevicesandfolliesofherlifetobeingabletoread；hermother，shesaid，whocouldnotread，livedrespectably，anddiedinpeace；andwhatwastheessentialdifferencebetweenthemotheranddaughter，savethatthelattercouldread？Butforherliteratureshemightinallprobabilityhavelivedrespectablyandhonestly，likehermother，andmighteventuallyhavediedinpeace，whichatpresentshecouldscarcelyhopetodo。Educationhadfailedtoproduceanygoodinthispoorwoman；onthecontrary，therecouldbelittledoubtthatshehadbeeninjuredbyit。Thenwaseducationabadthing？
Rousseauwasofopinionthatitwas；butRousseauwasaFrenchman，atleastwroteinFrench，andIcarednotthesnapofmyfingersforRousseau。Buteducationhascertainlybeenofbenefitinsomeinstances；well，whatdidthatprove，butthatpartialityexistedinthemanagementoftheaffairsoftheworld-ifeducationwasabenefittosome，whywasitnotabenefittoothers？Couldsomeavoidabusingit，anymorethanotherscouldavoidturningittoaprofitableaccount？Ididnotseehowtheycould；thispoorsimplewomanfoundabookinhermother’scloset；abook，whichwasacapitalbookforthosewhocouldturnittotheaccountforwhichitwasintended；abook，fromtheperusalofwhichIfeltmyselfwiserandbetter，butwhichwasbynomeanssuitedtotheintellectofthispoorsimplewoman，whothoughtthatitwaswritteninpraiseofthieving；yetshefoundit，shereadit，and-and-I
feltmyselfgettingintoamaze；whatisright，thoughtI？whatiswrong？DoIexist？Doestheworldexist？ifitdoes，everyactionisboundupwithnecessity。
’Necessity!’Iexclaimed，andcrackedmyfinger-joints。
’Ah，itisabadthing，’saidtheoldwoman。
’Whatisabadthing？’saidI。
’Whytobepoor，dear。’
’Youtalklikeafool，’saidI，’richesandpovertyareonlydifferentformsofnecessity。’
’Youshouldnotcallmeafool，dear；youshouldnotcallyourownmotherafool。’
’Youarenotmymother，’saidI。
’Notyourmother，dear？-no，nomoreIam；butyourcallingmefoolputmeinmindofmydearson，whooftenusedtocallmefool-andyoujustnowlookedashesometimesdid，withabloboffoamonyourlip。’
’Afterall，Idon’tknowthatyouarenotmymother。’
’Don’tyou，dear？I’mgladofit；Iwishyouwouldmakeitout。’
’HowshouldImakeitout？whocanspeakfromhisownknowledgeastothecircumstancesofhisbirth？Besides，beforeattemptingtoestablishourrelationship，itwouldbenecessarytoprovethatsuchpeopleexist。’
’Whatpeople，dear？’
’YouandI。’
’Lord，child，youaremad；thatbookhasmadeyouso。’
’Don’tabuseit，’saidI；’thebookisanexcellentone，thatis，provideditexists。’
’Iwishitdidnot，’saidtheoldwoman；’butitshan’tlong；I’llburnit，orflingitintotheriver-thevoicesatnighttellmetodoso。’
’Tellthevoices，’saidI，’thattheytalknonsense；thebook，ifitexists，isagoodbook，itcontainsadeepmoral；haveyoureaditall？’
’Allthefunnyparts，dear；allabouttakingthings，andthemanneritwasdone；asfortherest，Icouldnotexactlymakeitout。’
’Thenthebookisnottoblame；Irepeatthatthebookisagoodbook，andcontainsdeepmorality，alwayssupposingthatthereissuchathingasmorality，whichisthesamethingassupposingthatthereisanythingatall。’
’Anythingatall!Whyain’twehereonthisbridge，inmybooth，withmystallandmy-’
’Applesandpears，bakedhot，youwouldsay-Idon’tknow；allisamystery，adeepquestion。Itisaquestion，andprobablyalwayswillbe，whetherthereisaworld，andconsequentlyapplesandpears；and，providedtherebeaworld，whetherthatworldbelikeanappleorapear。’
’Don’ttalkso，dear。’
’Iwon’t；wewillsupposethatweallexist-world，ourselves，apples，andpears：soyouwishtogetridofthebook？’
’Yes，dear，Iwishyouwouldtakeit。’
’Ihavereadit，andhavenofartheruseforit；Idonotneedbooks：inalittletime，perhaps，Ishallnothaveaplacewhereintodepositmyself，farlessbooks。’
’ThenIwillflingitintotheriver。’
’Don’tdothat；here，giveitme。NowwhatshallIdowithit？youweresofondofit。’
’Iamsonolonger。’
’Buthowwillyoupassyourtime；whatwillyouread？’
’IwishIhadneverlearnedtoread，or，ifIhad，thatIhadonlyreadthebooksIsawatschool：theprimerortheother。’
’Whatwastheother？’
’IthinktheycalledittheBible：allaboutGod，andJob，andJesus。’
’Ah，Iknowit。’
’Youhavereadit；isitanicebook-alltrue？’
’True，true-Idon’tknowwhattosay；butiftheworldbetrue，andnotallalie，afiction，Idon’tseewhytheBible，astheycallit，shouldnotbetrue。Bythebye，whatdoyoucallBibleinyourtongue，or，indeed，bookofanykind？asBiblemerelymeansabook。’
’WhatdoIcalltheBibleinmylanguage，dear？’
’Yes，thelanguageofthosewhobringyouthings。’
’ThelanguageofthosewhoDID，dear；theybringthemnownolonger。Theycallmefool，asyoudid，dear，justnow；theycallkissingtheBible，whichmeanstakingafalseoath，smackingcalf-
skin。’
’That’smetaphor，’saidI；’English，butmetaphorical；whatanoddlanguage!SoyouwouldliketohaveaBible，-shallIbuyyouone？’
’Iampoor，dear-nomoneysinceIleftofftheothertrade。’
’Well，then，I’llbuyyouone。’
’No，dear，no；youarepoor，andmaysoonwantthemoney；butifyoucantakemeoneconvenientlyonthesly，youknow-Ithinkyoumay，for，asitisagoodbook，Isupposetherecanbenoharmintakingit。’
’Thatwillneverdo，’saidI，’moreespeciallyasIshouldbesuretobecaught，nothavingmadetakingofthingsmytrade；butI’lltellyouwhatI’lldo-tryandexchangethisbookofyoursforaBible；whoknowsforwhatgreatthingsthissamebookofyoursmayserve？’
’Well，dear，’saidtheoldwoman，’doasyouplease；Ishouldliketoseethe-whatdoyoucallit？-Bible，andtoreadit，asyouseemtothinkittrue。’
’Yes，’saidI，’seem；thatisthewaytoexpressyourselfinthismazeofdoubt-Iseemtothink-theseapplesandpearsseemtobe-andhereseemstobeagentlemanwhowantstopurchaseeitheroneortheother。’
Apersonhadstoppedbeforetheapple-woman’sstall，andwasglancingnowatthefruit，nowattheoldwomanandmyself；heworeabluemantle，andhadakindoffurcaponhishead；hewassomewhatabovethemiddlestature；hisfeatureswerekeen，butratherhard；therewasaslightobliquityinhisvision。Selectingasmallapple，hegavetheoldwomanapenny；then，afterlookingatmescrutinisinglyforamoment，hemovedfromtheboothinthedirectionofSouthwark。
’Doyouknowwhothatmanis？’saidItotheoldwoman。
’No，’saidshe，’exceptthatheisoneofmybestcustomers：hefrequentlystops，takesanapple，andgivesmeapenny；hisistheonlypieceofmoneyIhavetakenthisblessedday。Idon’tknowhim，buthehasonceortwicesatdownintheboothwithtwostrange-lookingmen-Mulattos，orLascars，Ithinktheycallthem。’
CHAPTERXLV