BOOK LOANED...

It is an axiom: "Book lent, book lost!" There are few exceptions to this rule. It would be desirable, however, that bibliophiles do not take Tristan Bernard as a model, who recently extricated himself with wit, but at great expense, from a rather delicate situation.
The witty writer, therefore, had lent a friend three volumes of the complete works of Dumas fils. After a few months, needing these works, he asked for them. No response. Second letter, then third, without result. So, Mr. Tristan Bernard resigned himself. He took from his library the five volumes of Alexandre Dumas that the indiscreet friend had kindly left him. He carefully wrapped them up and sent them to her, enclosing a note that ran something like this:
"Dear friend, excuse me... But I have such a horror of mismatched books that I beg you to accept these. They will complete your collection..."
That's how good libraries fall apart...