“I want to buy this book”, I said, “it has a message for me that I must never forget!”
“I’m glad”, said the little lady smiling, “what is it?”
I read her a part of the passage: “I see”, she exclaimed, “but why do you want the books?”
“I want to take them with me”, I said, “I mean to leave Lawrence at once and go to Germany to study!”
“Good gracious!” she cried, “how can you do that? I thought you were a partner of Sommerfeld’s; you can’t go at once!”
“I must”, I said, “the ground burns under my feet: if I don’t go now, I shall never go: I’ll be out of Lawrence tomorrow!”
Mrs. Trask threw up her hands and remonstrated with me: such quick decisions were dangerous; “why should I be in such a hurry?”
I repeated time and again: “If I don’t go at once, I shall never go: ‘the ignoble pleasures’ will grow sweeter and sweeter to me and I shall sink gradually and drown in the mud-honey of life.”
Finally seeing I was adamant and my mind fixed: she sold me the books at full price with some demur, then she added:
“I almost wish I had never recommended Emerson to you!” and the dear lady looked distressed, almost on the verge of tears.