"The Bible was a consolation to a fellow alone in the old cell. The lovely thin paper with a bit of matress stuffing in it, if you could get a match, was as good a smoke as I ever tasted"

In this quote by Brendan Behan, the speaker suggests that the Bible served as a source of comfort for someone who was separated in a prison cell. The description of the Bible being made from "beautiful thin paper" with a touch of "mattress stuffing" shows that the speaker is encountering both physical and psychological deprivation. The reference of having the ability to smoke the Bible if one had a match highlights the speaker's desperate and non-traditional requirement for solace. It suggests that the act of smoking the Bible provided a momentary escape and complete satisfaction, indicating the depths of the speaker's solitude and longing for any kind of relief.