下载辰思小说免费APP
Themanontheothersideglancedathim，Ithought，alittlecuriously。
“Ifyoucangivemereferences，orsatisfymeinanywayastoyourbonafides，Iampreparedtogiveyouforthisdiamondanopencheckfortenthousandpounds，orifyoupreferit，thecashinstead。“
Istared；Iwasnotaccustomedtoseebusinesstransactedonquitesuchlinesasthose。
“We’lltakeit，“murmuredPugh；Ibelievehewastoomuchovercomebyhisfeelingstodomorethanmurmur。Iinterposed。
“Mydearsir，youwillexcusemysayingthatyouarriveveryrapidlyatyourconclusions。Inthefirstplace，howcanyoumakesurethatitisadiamond？“
Themanbehindthecountersmiled。
“Ishouldbeveryill-fittedforthepositionwhichIholdifI
couldnottelladiamonddirectlyIgetasightofit，especiallysuchastoneasthis。“
“Buthaveyounotestsyoucanapply？“
“Wehavetestswhichweapplyincasesinwhichdoubtexists，butinthiscasethereisnodoubtwhatever。IamassurethatthisisadiamondasIamsurethatitisairIbreathe。However，hereisatest。“
Therewasawheelclosebythespeaker。Itwasworkedbyatreadle。Itwasmorelikeasuperiorsortoftraveling-tinker’sgrindstonethananythingelse。Themanbehindthecounterputhisfootuponthetreadle。Thewheelbegantorevolve。Hebroughtthecrystalintocontactwiththeswiftlyrevolvingwheel。Therewasas——s——sh！And，inaninstant，hishandwasempty；thecrystalhadvanishedintoair。
“Goodheavens！“hegasped。Ineversawsuchalookofamazementonahumancountenancebefore。“It’ssplintered！“
POSTSCRIPT
ItWASadiamond，althoughitHADsplintered。Inthatfactlaythepointofthejoke。Themanbehindthecounterhadnotbeenwrong；
examinationofsuchdustascouldbecollectedprovedthatfactbeyondadoubt。Itwasdeclaredbyexpertsthatthediamond，atsomeperiodofitshistory，hadbeensubjectedtointenseandcontinuingheat。Theresulthadbeentomakeitasbrittleasglass。
Therecouldbenodoubtthatitsoriginalownerhadbeenanexperttoo。Heknewwherehegotitfrom，andheprobablyknewwhatithadendured。Hewasawarethat，fromamercantilepointofview，itwasworthless；itcouldneverhavebeencut。So，havingaturnforhumorofapeculiarkind，hehaddevoteddays，andweeks，andpossiblymonths，totheconstructionofthatpuzzle。Hehadplacedthediamondinside，andhehadenjoyed，inanticipationandinimagination，theAlnascharvisionsoftheluckyfinder。
Pughblamedmeforthecatastrophe。Hesaid，andstillsays，thatifIhadnot，inameasure，andquitegratuitously，insistedonatest，themanbehindthecounterwouldhavebeensatisfiedwiththeevidenceofhisorgansofvision，andweshouldhavebeenricherbytenthousandpounds。ButIsatisfymyconsciencewiththereflectionthatwhatIdidatanyratewashonest，though，atthesametime，IamperfectlywellawarethatsuchareflectiongivesPughnosortofsatisfaction。
TheGreatValdezSapphireIknowmoreaboutitthananyoneelseintheworld，itspresentownernotexcepted。Icangiveitswholehistory，fromtheCingalesewhofoundit，theSpanishadventurerwhostoleit，thecardinalwhoboughtit，thePopewhograciouslyacceptedit，thefavoredsonoftheChurchwhoreceivedit，thegayandgiddyduchesswhopawnedit，downtotheeminentprelatewhonowholdsitintrustasafamilyheirloom。
Itwilloccupyachaptertoitselfinmyforthcomingworkon“HistoricStones，“wherefulldetailsofitsweight，size，color，andvaluemaybefound。AtpresentIamgoingtorelateanincidentinitshistorywhich，forobviousreasons，willnotbepublished——which，infact，Itrustthereaderwillconsiderrelatedinstrictconfidence。
IhadneverseenthestoneitselfwhenIbegantowriteaboutit，anditwasnottilloneeveninglastspring，whilestayingwithmynephew，SirThomasActon，thatIcamewithinmeasurabledistanceofit。Adinnerpartywasimpending，and，atmyinstigation，theBishopofNorthchurchandMissPanton，hisdaughterandheiress，wereamongtheinvitedguests。
Thedinnerwasaparticularlygoodone，Irememberthatdistinctly。
Infact，Ifeltmyselfpartlyresponsibleforit，havingengagedthenewcook——atalentedyoungItalian，pupiloftheadmirableoldchefatmyclub。Wehadgoneoverthemenucarefully
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