Though the mention of that word, or any of its singularly numerous equivalents, in serious neighborhood to a requisition upon one's purse, is attended with a more or less noteworthy effect upon the human countenance, producing in many an abrupt fall of it--in others, a writhing and screwing up of the features to a point not undistressing to behold, in some, attended with a blank pallor and fatal consternation--yet no trace of any of these symptoms was visible upon the countenance of the cosmopolitan, notwithstanding nothing could be more sudden and unexpected than the barber's demand. "You speak of cash, barber; pray in what connection?" "In a nearer one, sir," answered the barber, less blandly, "than I thought the man with the sweet voice stood, who wanted me to trust him once for a shave, on the score of being a sort of thirteenth cousin." "Indeed, and what did you say to him?" "I said, 'Thank you, sir, but I don't see the connection,'" "How could you so unsweetly answer one with a sweet voice?" "Because, I recalled what the son of Sirach says in the True Book: 'An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips;' and so I did what the son of Sirach advises in such cases: 'I believed not his many words.'" "What, barber, do you say that such cynical sort of things are in the True Book, by which, of course, you mean the Bible?" "Yes, and plenty more to the same effect. Read the Book of Proverbs." "That's strange, now, barber; for I never happen to have met with those passages you cite. Before I go to bed this night, I'll inspect the Bible I saw on the cabin-table, to-day. But mind, you mustn't quote the True Book that way to people coming in here; it would be impliedly a violation of the contract. But you don't know how glad I feel that you have for one while signed off all that sort of thing." "No, sir; not unless you down with the cash." "Cash again! What do you mean?" "Why, in this paper here, you engage, sir, to insure me against a certain loss, and----" "Certain? Is it so _certain_ you are going to lose?" "Why, that way of taking the word may not be amiss, but I didn't mean it so. I meant a _certain_ loss; you understand, a CERTAIN loss; that is to say, a certain loss. Now then, sir, what use your mere writing and saying you will insure me, unless beforehand you place in my hands a money-pledge, sufficient to that end?" "I see; the material pledge." "Yes, and I will put it low; say fifty dollars." "Now what sort of a beginning is this? You, barber, for a given time engage to trust man, to put confidence in men, and, for your first step, make a demand implying no confidence in the very man you engage with. But fifty dollars is nothing, and I would let you have it cheerfully, only I unfortunately happen to have but little change with me just now." "But you have money in your trunk, though?"