Boughtandexchanged-Quiteempty-Anewfirm-Bibles-
Countenanceofalion-Clapofthunder-Atrucewiththis-I
havelostit-Clearlyaright-GoddessoftheMint。
INpursuanceofmypromisetotheoldwoman，IsetaboutprocuringheraBiblewithallconvenientspeed，placingthebookwhichshehadintrustedtomeforthepurposeofexchangeinmypocket。I
wenttoseveralshops，andaskedifBiblesweretobehad：Ifoundthattherewereplenty。When，however，IinformedthepeoplethatIcametobarter，theylookedblank，anddeclinedtreatingwithme；
sayingthattheydidnotdobusinessinthatway。AtlastIwentintoashopoverthewindowofwhichIsawwritten，’Booksboughtandexchanged’：therewasasmartishyoungfellowintheshop，withblackhairandwhiskers；’Youexchange？’saidI。’Yes，’saidhe，’sometimes，butwepreferselling；whatbookdoyouwant？’’A
Bible，’saidI。’Ah，’saidhe，’there’sagreatdemandforBiblesjustnow；allkindsofpeoplearebecomeverypiousoflate，’headded，grinningatme；’IamafraidIcan’tdobusinesswithyou，moreespeciallyasthemasterisnotathome。Whatbookhaveyoubrought？’Takingthebookoutofmypocket，Iplaceditonthecounter：theyoungfellowopenedthebook，andinspectingthetitle-page，burstintoaloudlaugh。’Whatdoyoulaughfor？’saidI，angrily，andhalfclenchingmyfist。’Laugh!’saidtheyoungfellow；’laugh!whocouldhelplaughing？’’Icould，’saidI；’I
seenothingtolaughat；IwanttoexchangethisbookforaBible。’
’Youdo？’saidtheyoungfellow；’well，Idaresaythereareplentywhowouldbewillingtoexchange，thatis，iftheydared。Iwishmasterwereathome；butthatwouldneverdo，either。Master’safamilyman，theBiblesarenotmine，andmasterbeingafamilyman，issharp，andknowsallhisstock；I’dbuyitofyou，but，totellyouthetruth，Iamquiteemptyhere，’saidhe，pointingtohispocket，’soIamafraidwecan’tdeal。’
Whereupon，lookinganxiouslyattheyoungman，’WhatamItodo？’
saidI；’IreallywantaBible。’
’Can’tyoubuyone？’saidtheyoungman；’haveyounomoney？’
’Yes，’saidI，’Ihavesome，butIammerelytheagentofanother；
Icametoexchange，nottobuy；whatamItodo？’
’Idon’tknow，’saidtheyoungman，thoughtfullylayingdownthebookonthecounter；’Idon’tknowwhatyoucando；Ithinkyouwillfindsomedifficultyinthisbarteringjob，thetradeareratherprecise。’Allatoncehelaughedlouderthanbefore；
suddenlystopping，however，heputonaverygravelook。’Takemyadvice，’saidhe；’thereisafirmestablishedinthisneighbourhoodwhichscarcelysellsanybooksbutBibles；theyareveryrich，andpridethemselvesonsellingtheirbooksatthelowestpossibleprice；applytothem，whoknowsbutwhattheywillexchangewithyou？’
ThereuponIdemandedwithsomeeagernessoftheyoungmanthedirectiontotheplacewherehethoughtitpossiblethatImighteffecttheexchange-whichdirectiontheyoungfellowcheerfullygaveme，and，asIturnedaway，hadthecivilitytowishmesuccess。
Ihadnodifficultyinfindingthehousetowhichtheyoungfellowdirectedme；itwasaverylargehouse，situatedinasquare；anduponthesideofthehousewaswritteninlargeletters，’Bibles，andotherreligiousbooks。’
Atthedoorofthehouseweretwoorthreetumbrils，intheactofbeingloadedwithchests，verymuchresemblingtea-chests；oneofthechestsfallingdown，burst，andoutflew，nottea，butvariousbooks，inaneat，smallsize，andinneatleathercovers；Bibles，saidI，-Bibles，doubtless。Iwasnotquiteright，norquitewrong；pickinguponeofthebooks，Ilookedatitforamoment，andfoundittobetheNewTestament。’Come，younglad，’saidamanwhostoodby，inthedressofaporter，’putthatbookdown，itisnoneofyours；ifyouwantabook，goinanddealforone。’
Deal，thoughtI，deal，-themanseemstoknowwhatIamcomingabout，-andgoingin，Ipresentlyfoundmyselfinaverylargeroom。Behindacountertwomenstoodwiththeirbackstoasplendidfire，warmingthemselves，fortheweatherwascold。
Ofthesemenonewasdressedinbrown，andtheotherwasdressedinblack；bothweretallmen-hewhowasdressedinbrownwasthin，andhadaparticularlyill-naturedcountenance；themandressedinblackwasbulky，hisfeatureswerenoble，buttheywerethoseofalion。
’Whatisyourbusiness，youngman？’saidtheprecisepersonage，asIstoodstaringathimandhiscompanion。
’IwantaBible，’saidI。
’Whatprice，whatsize？’saidtheprecise-lookingman。
’Astosize，’saidI，’Ishouldliketohavealargeone-thatis，ifyoucanaffordmeone-Idonotcometobuy。’
’Oh，friend，’saidtheprecise-lookingman，’ifyoucomehereexpectingtohaveaBiblefornothing，youaremistaken-we-’
’IwouldscorntohaveaBiblefornothing，’saidI，’oranythingelse；Icamenottobeg，buttobarter；thereisnoshameinthat，especiallyinacountrylikethis，whereallfolksbarter。’
’Oh，wedon’tbarter，’saidthepreciseman，’atleastBibles；youhadbetterdepart。’
’Stay，brother，’saidthemanwiththecountenanceofalion，’letusaskafewquestions；thismaybeaveryimportantcase；perhapstheyoungmanhashadconvictions。’
’NotI，’Iexclaimed，’Iamconvincedofnothing，andwithregardtotheBible-Idon’tbelieve-’
’Hey!’saidthemanwiththelioncountenance，andtherehestopped。Butwiththat’Hey’thewallsofthehouseseemedtoshake，thewindowsrattled，andtheporterwhomIhadseeninfrontofthehousecamerunningupthesteps，andlookedintotheapartmentthroughtheglassofthedoor。
Therewassilenceforaboutaminute-thesamekindofsilencewhichsucceedsaclapofthunder。
Atlastthemanwiththelioncountenance，whohadkepthiseyesfixeduponme，saidcalmly，’Wereyouabouttosaythatyoudon’tbelieveintheBible，youngman？’
’Nomorethaninanythingelse，’saidI；’youweretalkingofconvictions-Ihavenoconvictions。ItisnoteasytobelieveintheBibletilloneisconvincedthatthereisaBible。’
’Heseemstobeinsane，’saidtheprim-lookingman；’wehadbetterordertheportertoturnhimout。’
’Iambynomeanscertain，’saidI，’thattheportercouldturnmeout；alwaysprovidedthereisaporter，andthissystemofoursbenotalie，andadream。’
’Come，’saidthelion-lookingman，impatiently，’atrucewiththisnonsense。Iftheportercannotturnyouout，perhapssomeotherpersoncan；buttothepoint-youwantaBible？’
’Ido，’saidI，’butnotformyself；Iwassentbyanotherpersontooffersomethinginexchangeforone。’
’Andwhoisthatperson？’
’Apooroldwoman，whohashadwhatyoucallconvictions，-heardvoices，orthoughtsheheardthem-Iforgottoaskherwhethertheywereloudones。’
’Whathasshesenttoofferinexchange？’saidtheman，withouttakinganynoticeoftheconcludingpartofmyspeech。
’Abook，’saidI。
’Letmeseeit。’
’Nay，brother，’saidthepreciseman，’thiswillneverdo；ifweonceadoptthesystemofbarter，weshallhavealltheholdersofuselessrubbishinthetownapplyingtous。’
’Iwishtoseewhathehasbrought，’saidtheother；’perhapsBaxter，orJewell’sAPOLOGY，eitherofwhichwouldmakeavaluableadditiontoourcollection。Well，youngman，what’sthematterwithyou？’
Istoodlikeonepetrified；Ihadputmyhandintomypocket-thebookwasgone。
’What’sthematter？’repeatedthemanwiththelioncountenance，inavoiceverymuchresemblingthunder。
’Ihaveitnot-Ihavelostit!’
’Aprettystory，truly，’saidtheprecise-lookingman，’lostit!
Youhadbetterretire，’saidtheother。
’HowshallIappearbeforethepartywhointrustedmewiththebook？ShewillcertainlythinkthatIhavepurloinedit，notwithstandingallIcansay；nor，indeed，canIblameher，-
appearancesarecertainlyagainstme。’
’Theyareso-youhadbetterretire。’
Imovedtowardsthedoor。’Stay，youngman，onewordmore；thereisonlyonewayofproceedingwhichwouldinducemetobelievethatyouaresincere。’
’Whatisthat？’saidI，stoppingandlookingathimanxiously。
’ThepurchaseofaBible。’
’Purchase!’saidI，’purchase!Icamenottopurchase，buttobarter；suchwasmyinstruction，andhowcanIbarterifIhavelostthebook？’