and will be able to keep pace with the progress of the times, even in the solitude of your country village.’ So, whenever I went to the town, I chose at the bookseller’s whatever books I liked.”
“And did not pay for them?” interrupted Ledecký.
“Wait a bit. Then the bookseller sent me of his own accord, from time to time, whatever he thought I might like. I had no end of pleasure with them; but then, the Saturday after New Year’s Day I got a bill for forty florins.”
“For goodness gracious sake!” exclaimed Ledecký. Where did you get the money?”
“I had fifteen florins saved. But how to get the rest?—that was the question that troubled me sorely. For three weeks I went about thinking of nothing else. I had to go to the town at last. My heart almost failed me as I entered the bookshop. The old bookseller smiled when he saw me; the poor fellow thought I was bringing him money. At last I stammered out that I had only fifteen florins. He made a serious face. That very moment the good Lord sent me help from an unexpected quarter. The bookseller’s wife came into the shop, and wanted money from him for potatoes. There happened to be a fair in the town that day. A blessed thought dashed through my brain. ‘Heavens!’ I said to myself, ‘you’re a made man now; the potatoes will save you!’ I told the bookseller not to buy any potatoes at the fair, as I had enough of them at home, and would gladly give them to him for the books, cheaper than he could buy them in the market, and brought to his very door. ‘Now, that’s really a curious coincidence,’ said the bookseller. ‘We want a great deal of potatoes in our family, and, if it suits you, I have no objection to
