The Book of the Lion Read Online Free PDF Page A

considered Bethune at Harvard, and a few others, of course. But you know medieval people as though you meet them on the street every day.”
    â€œThank you,” said Hallkyn. Maybe he had misjudged this man, based on a mistaken impression of his manner. “I assume you brought the manuscript to my attention because you’d like my advice, and I’d be happy to help. Are you planning to donate it to a library or a university?”
    â€œNo, I’m not,” the man said.
    Hallkyn’s heart sank. “What, then? Are you putting it up for sale?”
    â€œNot quite,” said the man. “I’m holding it for ransom. If I don’t get the right price, I’m going to kill it.”
    â€œWhat?” said Hallkyn. “I don’t understand.”
    â€œSure you do,” the man said. “There are rich men who want to own things—a Rembrandt, Da Vinci’s sketches, Lincoln’s letters. Ordinary, serious men such as you never expect to be the sole owner of an essential piece of our culture. All you care about or need is that it exists. For scholars like you, the manuscript of a great work is only of value because it bears the clear authoritative text. Once the text is reprinted, you can study the work, no matter who owns it. So regrettably, the people I’m threatening directly are those like you. If I don’t get my price within a week, The Book of the Lion will go back to not existing. It will die.”
    â€œBut then you’ll have nothing.”
    â€œNo, you’ll have nothing. I’ve read it,” the man said. “I’ll call you again soon.”
    â€œHow soon?”
    But the man had hung up.
    The next call came two days later, and this time Hallkyn had prepared and rehearsed. As soon as he knew whom he had on the line he said, “I’ve made some effort to come up with an alternative. I would like to buy the manuscript from you and donate it to Oxford or Cambridge—either one, if you have a preference.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œI’ve collected a fund for the purpose—five million dollars. You can have it in cash.”
    The man laughed. “What does five million dollars in cash even look like? Do you know?”
    â€œI imagine like fifty thousand hundred-dollar bills,” Hallkyn said. “It’s a ridiculous amount of money. I’m told it will arrive in five large boxes, a million dollars to a box.”
    â€œI won’t sell anyone the manuscript,” the man said. “But I’ve decided that the ransom will be five million dollars.”
    â€œThat was an offer to buy.”
    â€œYou’re a genuine expert on this piece of merchandise, and you believe that it would be rational to pay five million dollars to own it. It’s actually worth more, but I follow your reasoning. But you’ve tipped your hand a bit. I believe you will pay five million to keep the work in existence. You won’t have it, but it means that there is a possibility that some day it will be published, rather than burned right away.”
    Hallkyn felt sweat forming on his scalp and his forehead. He had bid too low. “If we could increase the price, would you sell?”
    â€œNo. It’s not for sale. Five million dollars keeps it in existence for now.”
    â€œPlease,” said Hallkyn. “It’s worth so much more than one person’s whim.”
    â€œI’m glad you think so,” the man said. “Get the money together, and have it in the city of Boston, loaded in a black Cadillac Escalade before seven a.m. on the day after tomorrow. Please repeat what I said.”
    â€œYou want the money in a Cadillac Escalade in Boston at seven the day after tomorrow.”
    â€œDon’t sound so hang-dog. I’m giving you what you really want.”
    â€œWhat makes you think I want that?” “It’s what you should want. You could never own such a priceless object under any