But what would his mother say?
She herself had added the last half dollar to his amount to make sure that he could get the nicer kind.
"Well, sir, how many of these will you have ?" asked the salesman.
"I'll--I'll take these two, anyway"-- meaning Prescott's Conquest--"and let me see", he looked hungrily over the titles--"And this one 'David Copperfield'." It was hard to select from so many tempting ones.

Here was one he had missed: "Ben Hur"-- , a fine new copy in blue and gold.

He had read the Chariot Race, and if the whole story was as interesting as that, he must have it.

He handed the volume to the salesman.

Then his hand touched lovingly a number of other books, but he resisted the temptation, and said: "That's all--this time." The clerk wrapped the purchase in a newspaper and handed the package to Dorian who paid for them with his two silver dollars, receiving some small silver in change.