"
The host swallowed another bumper, by way of denoting thorough
comprehension and acquiescence, and the visiter continued.
"Why, there are several ways of managing. The most of us starve:
some put up with the pickle: for my part I purchase my spirits vivente
corpore, in which case I find they keep very well."
"But the body!- hiccup!- the body!"
"The body, the body- well, what of the body?- oh! ah! I perceive.
Why, sir, the body is not at all affected by the transaction. I have
made innumerable purchases of the kind in my day, and the parties
never experienced any inconvenience. There were Cain and Nimrod, and
Nero, and Caligula, and Dionysius, and Pisistratus, and- and a
thousand others, who never knew what it was to have a soul during the
latter part of their lives; yet, sir, these men adorned society. Why
possession of his faculties, mental and corporeal? Who writes a keener
epigram? Who reasons more wittily? Who- but stay! I have his agreement
in my pocket-book."
Thus saying, he produced a red leather wallet, and took from it a
number of papers. Upon some of these Bon-Bon caught a glimpse of the
letters Machi- Maza- Robesp- with the words Caligula, George,
Elizabeth. His Majesty selected a narrow slip of parchment, and from
it read aloud the following words:
"In consideration of certain mental endowments which it is
unnecessary to specify, and in further consideration of one thousand
louis d'or, I being aged one year and one month, do hereby make over
to the bearer of this agreement all my right, title, and
appurtenance in the shadow called my soul.
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