stone into the garden. I spoke fast, and in talking to him convinced myself, so when I stopped for want of breath I was quite sure that the stone was indeed a diamond, and that Aldobrand had duped us.
Still Elzevir showed little eagerness, and only said,—
"'Tis like enough that what you say is true, but what would you have us do? The stone is flung away."
"Yes," I answered; "but I saw where it fell, and know the very place. Let us go back now at once and get it."
"Do you not think that Aldobrand saw the place too?" asked Elzevir; and then I remembered how, when I turned back to the room after seeing the stone fall, I caught the eyes of the old merchant looking the same way; and how he spoke more quietly after that, and not with the bitter cry he used when Elzevir tossed the jewel out of the window.
"I do not know," I said doubtfully; "let us go back and see. It fell just by the stem of a red flower that I marked well.—What!" I added, seeing him still hesitate arid draw back, "do you doubt? Shall we not go and get it?"
Still he did not answer for a minute, and then spoke slowly, as if weighing his words. "I cannot tell. I think that all you say is true, and that this stone is real. Nay, I was half of that mind when I threw it away, and yet I would not say we are not best without it. 'Twas you who first spoke of a curse upon the jewel, and I laughed at that as being a childish tale. But now I cannot tell; for ever since we first scented this treasure luck has run against us, John—yes, run against us very strong; and here we are, flying from
