{"id":"01KG8AKC4D9WXY1HRKMTXDS9D9","cid":"bafkreidkqawxz2m2yq2y72ghleb662yzrh6hskpl6f33fyhxfme6qegtdy","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":10321,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:57.726Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 5","source_file":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","start_line":10238,"text":"\r\n\"Indeed, and what did you say to him?\"\r\n\r\n\"I said, 'Thank you, sir, but I don't see the connection,'\"\r\n\r\n\"How could you so unsweetly answer one with a sweet voice?\"\r\n\r\n\"Because, I recalled what the son of Sirach says in the True Book: 'An\r\nenemy speaketh sweetly with his lips;' and so I did what the son of\r\nSirach advises in such cases: 'I believed not his many words.'\"\r\n\r\n\"What, barber, do you say that such cynical sort of things are in the\r\nTrue Book, by which, of course, you mean the Bible?\"\r\n\r\n\"Yes, and plenty more to the same effect. Read the Book of Proverbs.\"\r\n\r\n\"That's strange, now, barber; for I never happen to have met with those\r\npassages you cite. Before I go to bed this night, I'll inspect the Bible\r\nI saw on the cabin-table, to-day. But mind, you mustn't quote the True\r\nBook that way to people coming in here; it would be impliedly a\r\nviolation of the contract. But you don't know how glad I feel that you\r\nhave for one while signed off all that sort of thing.\"\r\n\r\n\"No, sir; not unless you down with the cash.\"\r\n\r\n\"Cash again! What do you mean?\"\r\n\r\n\"Why, in this paper here, you engage, sir, to insure me against a\r\ncertain loss, and----\"\r\n\r\n\"Certain? Is it so _certain_ you are going to lose?\"\r\n\r\n\"Why, that way of taking the word may not be amiss, but I didn't mean\r\nit so. I meant a _certain_ loss; you understand, a CERTAIN loss; that is\r\nto say, a certain loss. Now then, sir, what use your mere writing and\r\nsaying you will insure me, unless beforehand you place in my hands a\r\nmoney-pledge, sufficient to that end?\"\r\n\r\n\"I see; the material pledge.\"\r\n\r\n\"Yes, and I will put it low; say fifty dollars.\"\r\n\r\n\"Now what sort of a beginning is this? You, barber, for a given time\r\nengage to trust man, to put confidence in men, and, for your first step,\r\nmake a demand implying no confidence in the very man you engage with.\r\nBut fifty dollars is nothing, and I would let you have it cheerfully,\r\nonly I unfortunately happen to have but little change with me just now.\"\r\n\r\n\"But you have money in your trunk, though?\"\r\n\r\n\"To be sure. But you see--in fact, barber, you must be consistent. No, I\r\nwon't let you have the money now; I won't let you violate the inmost\r\nspirit of our contract, that way. So good-night, and I will see you\r\nagain.\"\r\n\r\n\"Stay, sir\"--humming and hawing--\"you have forgotten something.\"\r\n\r\n\"Handkerchief?--gloves? No, forgotten nothing. Good-night.\"\r\n\r\n\"Stay, sir--the--the shaving.\"\r\n\r\n\"Ah, I _did_ forget that. But now that it strikes me, I shan't pay you\r\nat present. Look at your agreement; you must trust. Tut! against loss\r\nyou hold the guarantee. Good-night, my dear barber.\"\r\n\r\nWith which words he sauntered off, leaving the barber in a maze, staring\r\nafter.\r\n\r\nBut it holding true in fascination as in natural philosophy, that\r\nnothing can act where it is not, so the barber was not long now in being\r\nrestored to his self-possession and senses; the first evidence of which\r\nperhaps was, that, drawing forth his notification from the drawer, he\r\nput it back where it belonged; while, as for the agreement, that he tore\r\nup; which he felt the more free to do from the impression that in all\r\nhuman probability he would never again see the person who had drawn it.\r\nWhether that impression proved well-founded or not, does not appear. But\r\nin after days, telling the night's adventure to his friends, the worthy\r\nbarber always spoke of his queer customer as the man-charmer--as certain\r\nEast Indians are called snake-charmers--and all his friends united in\r\nthinking him QUITE AN ORIGINAL.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 5"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJNPW0KV0WYEFCSC1NV1T","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKBBJ51F847DHGHR70WWH","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:02.189Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.566Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}