"I have to keep my hand from shaking," thought Mark as he picked up the baseball card. He fixed his eyes on the early 20th-century image in shining red and then slowly turned the card over.
It was in perfect condition, showing clearly the friendly face of Honus Wagner, one of the most famous baseball players in history.
"That's one of my favorites. My dad got that when he was a boy," said the old man.
"How…how much?" asked Mark. He cleared his voice.
"Fifty dollars," the man said. Then he bit (咬) his lip, wondering whether it was too much to ask, especially from a boy.
Mark knew that the old man did not realize what a treasure he had. Looking at the man's face and his worn shirt, Mark thought, "I've never seen him at one of these swap meets (二手货集市) so far. I bet he is here because he needs some money, not because he knows much about baseball cards. If I made this trade, I would have to remember that I robbed (掠夺) this man for the rest of my life."
The man's heart sank (下沉) as Mark shook his head and handed back the card. "It is worth a lot more than fifty dollars. You should take it to an antique dealer (古董商)," Mark said.
The man's eyes widened as Mark added, "The last time a Honus Wagner card was sold, it made over 500,000 dollars." Then Mark turned around and walked away, before the old man could see the tears in his eyes.
Walking away that day was the hardest thing Mark had ever done in his life.
