LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 751, 15 November 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE STRANGE STORY OF A DIAMOND,

( Continued ) Before the tenacious American woman could reply taking advantage of the great crowd that had gathered around Sosthene, and was staring at him sideways, while pretending to be otherwise eng ged, Carolus took his friend’s arm, and dragged him away. ‘ My God ! my God !’ groaned Sosthene, * why did I ever come here ?’ ‘Bah! thatis nothing; Madame Possoom is the most charming woman,’ laughed the Vicomte ; she knew your propensities, and wanted to fiirter un brin. She has the most wonderful neck and arms, and her soiree are really very amusing ; you can do and say what you like there. Shall I bring her to you next Wednesday ?’

Sosthene wastuminground, almost angrily, to reply, when his eye fell upon a short man standing near them who had just taken off the glove off his right hand and was caressing his long grey moustaches. ‘ del ?’ he exclaimed, * did you ever see such a wonderful diamond in your life ?’ Carolus followed the direction of his friend’s eyes, and saw upon the little finger of the man we have mentioned a stone as big as the muzzle of a saloon pistol, and sparkling like a sea of crystal. ‘ Diable !’ he exclaimed, *it is marvellous !’

* Marvellous!’ echoed Sosthene, with his eyes fixed upon the gem as if enchanted. * I never saw him wear that ring before,’ mused the Vicomte. * You know him then 7 Who is he I’

He calls himself an Austrian, and a count, but I think he is a Jew. La belle creole has him here very often.’ * It is strange I have never met him at the Embassy if he is a gentleman,’ said Sosthene.

‘ Oh, he has some long story about having quarrelled with the Princesse ; but I myself believe the fellow is an adventurer. He is not even liked here.’

Sosthene said nothing, but kept his eyes fixed upon the diamond. Suddenly he exclaimed, after a pause, *Oh mon Lieu ! did you see that ray of green it shot out then! It is really miraculous. What would I not give if he would only sell it to me!’

‘ Well, I will introduce you, and you can ask him if you like. You need not stand on no ceremony with the fellow, for I dare say he’s a Dutch diamond merchant, only you must be careful not to be cheated, for I feel convinced the man is a rogue.’ ‘Tres-bien tres-bien ,’ rejoined Sosthene, in a state of feverish excitement, * introduce me.’

In a minute the thing was done, * M. le Comte,’ said D’Yquem, smiling, ‘ allow me to present to you my friend the Marquis Sosthene de Valreas, who for the last ten minutes has been a moitie for admiring your diamond ring. ’ - The little man bowed gravely. ‘ M. le Marquis is fond of diamonds ?’ ‘ Yes, passionately,’ replied Sosthene, * and I confess I never saw finer one than yours ’ * Do you consider yourself a connoisseur ?’ asked the mysterious owner of the treasure.

‘ I have been studying them for the last six months, aided by Mellerio and Samper, and I think I know something about them.’

*ln that case,’ said the other, with a queer smile, and drawing the ring from his finger, ‘perhaps you would like to examine this, and perhaps you might guess its approximate value.’ Sosthene was amazed at such a strange and remarkable proceeding, but deciding within himself that doubtless Carolus was right, and that he was a Jew diamond broker disposing of his wares, bowed, took the ring, and examined it closely. It was even more magnificent than he had at first supposed. Large, deep, beautifully cut, with an immense table, pure white, without being in any degree milky, and brilliant as the sun. The little man watched him keenly as Southene examined the ring. ‘ I should say,’ said the Marquis, after a pause, still holding the ring in his hand, ‘ at a rough guess, it is worth thirty-five or forty thousand francs, but of course I cannot fix upon its exact value. It is evidently a Golconda stone.’ The little man smiled ‘ You are right in one way, M. le Marquis,’ he said, ‘it is true the ring is worth at least forty thousand francs to me; in fact, I would not sell it under fifty; but the real market value of the stone is not probably so many sous.’ Sosthene looked at him with surprise. The little man paused for a minute as if enjoying the situation, and then said gently: ‘ The stone is false!’ ‘ False T cried Sosthene and Carolus d’Yquem, who had been listening eagerly to all that was said. ‘ False ! Impossible !’ The Count said nothing but stood looking at them with an amused smile, ‘ Pardon M. le Comte,’ said Sosthene, ‘ but you must be deceived. I have, as I told you, made diamonds my study lately, and can assure you this stone is real. You have doubtless been told it was false by some one who desired to get it from you at a price much below its real value.’ ‘ I repeat,’ replied the little man smiling, t that the stone is false, but it does not surprise me that you cannot believe it, for far from it being the fact that any one has told me so to buy it below its value, I can get nobody to believe me when I tell them, and have frequently been offered large sums for it.’ . Sosthene examined the stone again, and after a minute— 4 It is extraordinary !’ he exclaimed; ‘ I could have staked my life and honor that it was real. I can hardly believe my senses. I am certain Mellcno would be of the same opinion.’ t Very likely,’ replied the little man dryly. < j SU ppQßc even jewellers may be deceived. As a matter of fact, however, the stone is faI ‘ S fiow can you be quite certain of that ?’ < Par bleu ! I saw it made !’ < g aw it made !’ exclaimed Sosthene. The Count bowed. ‘ Then there can be no doubt about it, Sosthene,’ said Carolus d’Yquem, who was getting, he knew not why, a little frightened. Sosthene made no reply, but examined the ring again minutely for the third time, and then, after a pause, said in a hesitating tone, «I hope you will not consider me rude, M. le Comte, but may I ask how it is that, knowing it to be false as you do, you value it at fifty thousand francs V

The Count became grave immediately. ‘ Pardon me, M. de Valreas,’ he said coldly, ‘ but we are scarcely on such terms of intimacy as to warrant you becoming my father confessor.’ Then, perceiving the pain his well-merited rebuke inflicted on the sensitive and high-bred nature of the Marquis, he added, * but I am bon enfant, and do not mind admitting to you that I prize that ring because of a story attached to it, and then, after all, although it is certainly false, as it deceives every one, even ’ —and he bowed ‘ such a connoisseur as M. le Marquis himself, it has as much value very nearly as if it were indeed real.’

There was no more to be said. The man insisted upon it that it was false, and it was hardly an assertion a man—no matter how waggishly inclined—would make to an entire stranger whether he were willing to sell it or not.

‘ I never saw you wear the ring before,’ said Carolus suspiciously. ‘ I do not often wear it,’ replied the Count carelessly, ‘it attracts such general attention, and always leads to such absurd mistakes and explanations.’ Then seeing Sosthene still lovingly examining the ring, he added, with a laugh, ‘ I see you cannot bring yourself to believe my word, M. de Valreas, and you must not think you offend me in any way. I never could get any one to believe the stone was false; that is,’ he added after a pause, ‘ any one but a very clever jeweller.’ Sosthene looked up quickly. ‘ A jeweller has told you, then, it is false ?’ he asked. ‘ Yes ; two jewellers have given me that astounding piece of information, which I confess surprised me but a little, as I saw it made myself.’ Sosthene gave him back the ring with a sigh. 1 1 wish it were real,’ he said naively. I would have been willing to give you almost any sum for it.’ The Count bowed, smiled, and replaced the coveted gem on his finger. Just at that moment Carolus d’Yquem, perceiving Mrs Colonel Jabez P. Possum bearing down upon them, dragging by the arm the unwilling English peer, who walked as in a dream, he pushed de Valreas farther on in the crowd, and hustled him quickly into the next »-oom, which he hurried through likewise. When they had reached a third, which appeared to ■be given up to a few old men playing * Boston ’ and ‘ Picquets,’ and were tolerably safe from the eager arm of Mrs Colonel Jabez P., he said laughingly, looking at Sosthene’s angry countenance, ‘ You must not be offended, man cher, but we were only just in time. One minute more and I’Americans and her friend the Marquis of Brentford would have been upon you.’

* I shall go home now,’ said Sosthene sullenly. ‘ I came here to please you, and the place is an enfer. I really cannot stand it any longer, and you cannot expect me to.’ ‘ You must do as you please,’ rejoined Carolus good humouredly. ‘ I only pro mised to bring you, not to keep you here. But cannot you manage one waltz ? There is a charming Cuban girl here with such eyes!’ ‘ Bah !’ sneered the Marquis in disgust, * I detest Havanaises—a mongrel race that always smells of cigarettes and garlic; as for fine eyes, every woman now-a-days has fine eyes, but none so fine or expressive as those of a horse, besides, I must really go now; that diamond has quite upset me.’ With a warm pressure of the hand and ‘ a demain au circle !’ the friend parted, and Sosthene, thankful to get away, and careless about seeing his hostess again, made his way to the cloak-room. There, to his great surprise he found the mysterious owner of the diamond ring, apparently waiting for his greatcoat. He bowed gravely to Sosthene, and having obtained what he was in quest o f was going away, when de Valreas stopped him. Me had caught another glimpse of the diamond ring, and the effect was overpowering. * I cannot express to you, M. le Comte,’ he said, ‘how that diamond interests me. May I hope that if you have nothing better to do, and are not tired, you will allow me to offer you a cigar and a bottle of hock, chez moi ?’

The Count bowed. ‘You are very kind,’ he said simply; ‘ I am not tired, and have nothing do, for as I am only in Paris for a short time, I belong to no club. I shall be very happy to go with you.’

In a minute or two Sosthene succeeded in obtaining his property, and after ordering the Count’s coachman to drive on and wait for his master at the Marquis’s, they both got into Sosthene’s coupe and drove to the Rue du Cirque. The Count said nothing during the drive, and Sosthene was in no mood for conversation just then, so the time appeared interminably long.

‘ A.t last!’ cried Sosthene, as the carriage drove into his porte cochere. *My night horses go like snails. I hope I shall be able to cure you of the infernal chill they must have given you. Hippolytc!’ he cried, as that worthy appeared at the sound of his master’s latch-key. * More logs, and some bottles Steinberger.’ In a few minutes they were seated by a blazing fire, enjoying excellent cigars and baptising _ their new friendship with the breast-milk of the Rhine. For some time the conversation ran on indifferent subjects, and Sosthene learned that his friend had a gre*t taste for science, especially chemistry, was a widower, aud possessesed a chateau not far from Pesth. The young marquis could not, however, take his eyes off the diamond ring, which flashed and sparkled, and appeared every moment to gain in brilliancy, and the Count doubtless remarking this, said abruptly, after a short pause, and lighting another cigar, * I see mon cher Marquis, that you are bewitched with this wretched piece of glass. I hardly know how I can cure you of your infatuation. Take it, and examine it again. If you really know much about d amonds you must discover that it is false on closer examination.’ He drew the ring off his finger and gave it to the Marquis, who seized it eagerly and felt a thrill of pleasure as he touched the splendid glittering lie once .nore. The more he looked at it the more certain he felt that the Count had been deceived, and that the stone was real, and so, after a pause, he said abruptly, looking up, ‘ Suppose I were willing to buy it, false as it is, would you be -willing to part with it!’

‘ The Count appeared astonished and then perplexed. ‘ I might, perhaps,’ he said slowly, * be willing to part with the ring, for although I cherish it, it brings back painful memories. But it is absurd to talk of such a sale, for I could not part with it for a small sum, for it is of great value as a curiosity and work of art, quite apart from its value to mo as a souvenir. ’

‘ If I should offer you the price you think fair for it, would you let me have it ?’ urged -'oathene, who had become greatly excited. ‘ How can you expect me to allow you to pay me a large sum of money simply to gratify your whim, and to purchase of me a thing which I really know to be of no great value to any one but myself ? No ; I could not think of such a thing. You might be willing to give me fifty thousand francs (and I would not take less); but how could I, en galant honrne, sell you a mere piece of paste at such a price ? So let us, I beg of you, say no more about it.’ * I will give you fifty thousand franco for it,’ cried Sosthene, heedless of the Count’s remark about closing the discussion. The Count rose, evidently greatly agitated and walked up and down the room a few minutes before replying. Then ho came up to the Marquis, and said: * Listen to me. Keep the ring until to-morrow. I have no hesitation in leaving it in your care. To-morrow see Melleiio, Samper, whom yon will, they trill tell you the truth about the stone, and I hope their verdict will cure you of your infatuation. Nay,’ he added, as Sosthene made an unwilling gesture, ‘ I beg you, as a favour, keep it until to-morrow. I trill leave you my card, and you can let me hear from you the day after to-morrow. It is late; I must leave you now.’ In vain did Sosthene feebly expostulate; the Count with kind firmness insisted upon having his own way in the matter, and the result was that the ring was left with De Valreas. When the Count had finally taken his departure, Sosthene, before going to bed, wrote three notes—one to the wife of the Austrian Ambassador, asking if anything were known about his mysterious friend, one to Samper, and one to Mellerio, requesting each of them to send to his house on the following day the most expert judges of diamonds they could find. The folfollowing morning Sosthene was up betimes, and in a feverish state of excitement to know the real value of the jewel which had so enchanted him. The wise men did not keep him long waiting, and all unanimously, after carefully examining the stone one after another, pronounced it to be a real Golconda diamond one of the finest seen in Paris for years outside the Crown Jewels, and of the value of seventy thousand francs at the very least. Sosthene was wild with delight, and jumping into his dog-cart rattled off to the address in the Rue Moliere, given him by the Count. He was at home, and as Sosthene entered the salon he came cordially forward to meet him.

‘Eh lien !’ he cried, with a slight satirical laugh, you have found out it is worthless, and so have been honest enough to bring it back to me.

In a hurried and excited way Sosthene told him the result of the examination. The Count’s face fell. ‘They have deceived you or been deceived themselves as I have known them to be deceived about this before,’ he said gravely.’ ‘ I tell you I saw the thing made it is mere paste. ’ ‘ Paste or not, 1 will give you seventy thousand francs for it,’ cried Sosthene. The Count paused and appeare ' immersed in painful reflection, then he said; * See, Marquis, 1 will do this. Give me back my ring, for I am certain the sight of it is bewitching you and driving you crazy. Take two days to reflect, and if after that you still wish to purchase it, you shall have it for sixty thousand francs.’ ‘ I cannot give you less than seventy thousand francs for it,’ cried Sosthene delighted, and putting the jewel into the Count’s hand. ‘ They all agreed it is worth at least seventy.’ * Seventy be it then,’ replied the Count, ‘ but I must make one stipulation as a protection to my own honor.’ ‘ I will agree to any stipulation !’ ‘ I must insist, then,’ continued the Count, * that in case, after two days, you still wish to buy this ring, you will assemble six of your friends, and in their presence sign two statements, that I shall bring with me, and which, moreover, must be attested by the signatures of your friends.’ ‘ I promise you!’ cried the enraptured Marquis, and left him to tell the great news to his boon companions at the ‘ Jockey.’ That evening, while dressing for dinner, a note from the Austrian Embassy was put into his hand, informing him that no such person existed, and that the man bearing that title was an adventurer and unknown.

* Taut pis !’ said Sosthene philosophically; ‘je suis quitte for a couple of bottles of hock and a diamond ring. I can easily drop him once the purchase made. He has been, honest enough with me, God knows !’ The next two days passed very slowly, and on the third Sosthene wrote a short word to the Count informing him that he was still bent upon having the diamond ring, and begging him to do him the honor to call upon him at five o’clock on the following afternoon, when the six witnesses would be in attendance. Immediately afterwards, he wrote to the six moat leading men in Paris (after himself), begging them to come and witness his triumph. At five punctually they were all assembled, and in a quarter of an hour the Count arrived, bringing with him the two following statements written out by a solicitor’s clerk. First— ‘ I, Adam, Count Petrofsky, do hereby sell for the sum of seventy thousand francs a piece of paste cut to imitate a diamond, to Sosthene, Marquis de Valreas. And I hereby declare in the presence of six witnesses, before a penny has passed hands, or any one bound in any way, that the object I sell him has never been represented by me to be a real diamond, but openly confessed to be a fabe one, and that I am only induced to part with it at the earnest request of M. de Valreas, who promises to .pay me seventy thousand francs knowingly ’ The second —' I, Sosthene, Marquis de Valreas, do hereby, in the presence of six witnesses, affirm that I gladly and willingly pay to Adam, Count Petrofsky the sum of seventy thousand franca for a piece of paste, and I hereby solemnly declare that the said Count Petrofsky has always told me the object I purchase is not a real diamond but a false one, and has done everything in his power to dissuade me from making what he has always considered to be a bad bargain. ’ When Sosthene had read through the second statement he paused before signing it.

(To be continued.)