If the Harden Library was not great, it was almost historic, it contained the Aldine Plato of 1513, the Neapolitan Horace of 1474, and the _Aurea Legenda_ of Wynkyn de Worde.

The other reason was Dicky Pilkington, the Vandal into whose hands destiny had delivered it.

Upon the Harden Library Pilkington was about to descend like Alaric on the treasures of Rome.

Rickman's was hand in glove with Pilkington, and since the young barbarian actually offered them the chance of buying it outright for an old song, no time was to be lost.

It would not do to trust too long to Dicky's ignorance.