The million pound banknote

I did not lose a moment. I shoved the note and money into my vest pocket, and ran to the nearest cheap eating house. Well, how I did eat! At last I couldn't hold any more food. I took out my money and unfolded it, took one glimpse and nearly fainted. A million pounds. That was five million dollars! Why, it made my head spin.

I must have sat there stunned and blinking at the note as much as a minute before I remembered where I was. Then the first thing I noticed was the landlord. His eye was on the note, and he was petrified. He was worshipping the banknote, with all his body and soul, but he looked as if he couldn't move a hand or foot. In a moment I knew what I should do. It was the only rational thing there was to do. I passed the note to him, and said carelessly 'Give me the change, please.'

Then he came back to normal. He made a thousand apologies for not being able to break the bill. I couldn't get him to touch it. He wanted to look at it, and keep on looking at it. He couldn't seem to get enough of looking at it, but he would not touch it. It was as if it was something too sacred for poor human flesh to handle. I said 'I am sorry if it is an inconvenience, but I must insist. Please change it; I haven't anything else.'

Vocabulary:

Shoved: Pushed hard
Glimpse: A quick look
Stunned: As though hit hard on the head
Petrified: As though turned to stone
Rational: Reasonable, logical or intelligent
Break the bill: Turn a banknote into change
Sacred: Holy
Inconvenience: Something needing some extra work at a bad time