:41:01
The year before last,
a man quite unknown to me
:41:04
came and asked me to show him
a map I possess.
:41:20
How could he have known I had it?
I have no idea.
:41:22
I inherited it
from my grandfather.
:41:25
The man was so insistent I thought
why shouldn't I let him see it?
:41:28
He looked at the parchment
:41:30
and immediately offered me
200 Turkish pounds for it.
:41:35
You might like
to take a look at it.
:41:49
He said it was a map
of Egypt before the sands.
:41:54
I didn't wish to part with it.
Anyway, I didn't need the money
:41:57
so I refused.
:41:59
The next day
he came to offer 500 pounds.
:42:03
Now I was tempted!
:42:06
But this proved to me
:42:07
that it must be
very valuable
:42:10
and it must not be let go too cheaply,
so I refused again.
:42:15
He then explained to me
he was a Russian prince
:42:18
who needed it for his collection
of antiques,
:42:21
and if I wouldn't let him
depart with it, would I let him
:42:24
make a copy of it for 200 pounds?
:42:28
Just think!
:42:30
200 pounds for a copy
of a parchment.
:42:48
He's gone.