" That is the Comte d’Erlette’s Cultes des Goules.” Gold spread his hands. “Or maybe I should say that it is the book most often called that, and supposed to be written by the Comte d’Erlette. Really the man was too careful to put down his name, and he didn’t give his book a title. That binding is human skin.” “Where did you get it?” “From a Paris dealer. It was easier to find than I thought it would be—people that have a copy don’t often want to keep it long—but it was harder to get it out of France and into the U.S.” “I meant the human skin. Where did you get that?” “I haven’t rebound this book, Mr. Weer. So far as I know, what you see is the original binding, done toward the last of the eighteenth century.” “How much do you want for it?” “It is already sold, Mr. Weer. To a college library in Massachusetts. The price was eight hundred and fifty dollars. "

― Gene Wolfe , Peace