human
What have we here?
gpt
I presume that's my Bible,
human
Has it come to this?
gpt
Didn't we ever tell you the story of my Bible?
human
No. You never did. I never suspected you had one.
gpt
Oh yes; the Bible was the first book of this sort I had. It was sent to me by some home missionary society, some woman's organization--
human
Fools!
gpt
They saw in the paper about my eyes and so they said to themselves--'Now here is a good chance to convert one of those ungodly scientists.' So they sent the Bible along with a nice little note saying that now I would have time to read it, and perhaps all of this was the hand of God leading me--you can construct the rest. Well. he paused with a laugh--
human
Ernestine was mad.
gpt
I should hope so!
human
She was so divinely angry that in having fun with her I overlooked being enraged myself. Oh, if I could only give you any idea of how incensed she was! I think she intended notifying the Chicago police. Really I don't know to what lengths she would have gone had it not been for my restraining influence. And then she constructed a letter. It was a masterpiece--I can tell you that. She compared me to them--greatly to their disadvantage. She spoke of the various kinds of religious manifestation--again greatly to their disadvantage.
gpt
Did she send it?
human
No. I persuaded her that well-intentioned people should receive the same kindly tolerance we extend to the mentally defective. The writing of the letter in itself half way contented her--it was such a splendid expression of her emotions. Poor old girl, he added musingly,
gpt
But the sequel is the queer part, he went on.
human
I began to read their Bible, and I like it. It's part of the irony of fate that I haven't gotten from it the things they intended I should; but I tell you part of this Old Testament is immense reading. You know, Parkman, I suppose we're prejudiced ourselves. We don't see the Bible as it is itself. We see it in relation to a lot of people who surround it. And because we don't care for some of them we think we shouldn't care for it. Whereas the thing in itself, he concluded cheerfully,
gpt
And how go your own books?
human
Oh--so, so. Pretty fair, I guess. His face settled into a gloom then, but almost immediately he roused himself from it to say, in a voice more cheerful than spontaneous:
gpt
They'll be finished in a couple of weeks. I'm both glad and sorry. Don't know just what I'll go at then.
human
But I'm mighty thankful I've had the books, he said.
gpt
They've pulled me through the winter, and they've enabled me to make a living. Lord, but a man would hate not to make a living!