An old banker walked around his study. He 1 by a bet (赌约) that he had made with a young lawyer 15 years ago. The bet took place at a party 2 a dark autumn night. They discussed the topic of punishment by death and life imprisonment (终身监禁). The banker believed that punishment by death was 3 than life imprisonment. The lawyer disagreed. Then the rich banker offered two million rubles(卢布) if the lawyer could live in the prison for 15 years. The lawyer accepted. "I 4 no money if I give up, " he said.
Then the lawyer stayed in a small house. He had only a small window through which he could pass notes to ask for 5 he needed. At first, the lawyer was lonely. He just read 6 and played the piano. Throughout the following years, his interests and requests changed a lot, but he continued reading. And as the end of his 15-year imprisonment neared, he was busy 7 history and science and several languages.
With only hours left, the banker was worried. He slipped into the lawyer's room and tried to do 8 bad. The lawyer was asleep at his desk, and in front of him was a letter beside a pen. He wrote in 9 letter that he had got great wisdom. He would prefer to live a life without any wealth.
The banker was relaxed but also filled with shame. He thought he took 10 years away from a bright young man.
