按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
discovery？〃
〃Go halves！ In your discovery； Tress！ Give me what is mine！〃
〃With pleasure； Pugh； if you will tell me what is yours。〃
〃Ifif you don't give me what was in the box I'llI'll send for
the police。〃
〃Do！ Then I shall be able to hand to them what was in the box in
order that it may be restored to its proper owner。〃
〃Its proper owner！ I'm its proper owner！〃
〃Excuse me； but I don't understand how that can be； at least； until
the police have made inquiries。 I should say that the proper owner
was the person from whom you purchased the box； or； more probably；
the person from whom he purchased it； and by whom； doubtless； it
was sold in ignorance； or by mistake。 Thus； Pugh； if you will only
send for the police； we shall earn the gratitude of a person of
whom we never heard in our livesI for discovering the contents of
the box； and you for returning them。〃
As I said this； Pugh's face was a study。 He gasped for breath。 He
actually took out his handkerchief to wipe his brow。
〃Tress； II don't think you need to use a tone like that to me。
It isn't friendly。 Whatwhat was in the box？〃
〃Let us understand each other； Pugh。 If you don't hand over what
was in the box to the police； I go halves。〃
Pugh began to dance about the floor。
〃What a fool I was to trust you with the box！ I knew I couldn't
trust you。〃 I said nothing。 I turned and rang the bell。 〃What's
that for？〃
〃That； my dear Pugh； is for breakfast； and； if you desire it； for
the police。 You know； although you have breakfasted； I haven't。
Perhaps while I am breaking my fast； you would like to summon the
representatives of law and order。〃 Bob came in。 I ordered
breakfast。 Then I turned to Pugh。 〃Is there anything you would
like？〃
〃No； II've breakfasted。〃
〃It wasn't of breakfast I was thinking。 It was ofsomething else。
Bob is at your service； if； for instance； you wish to send him on
an errand。〃
〃No； I want nothing。 Bob can go。〃 Bob went。 Directly he was
gone； Pugh turned to me。 〃You shall have half。 What was in the
box？〃
〃I shall have half？〃
〃You shall！〃
〃I don't think it is necessary that the terms of our little
understanding should be expressly embodied in black and white。 I
fancy that； under the circumstance； I can trust you； Pugh。 I
believe that I am capable of seeing that； in this matter； you don't
do me。 That was in the box。〃
I held out the crystal between my finger and thumb。
〃What is it？〃
〃That is what I desire to learn。〃
〃Let me look at it。〃
〃You are welcome to look at it where it is。 Look at it as long as
you like； and as closely。〃
Pugh leaned over my hand。 His eyes began to gleam。 He is himself
not a bad judge of precious stones； is Pugh。
〃It'sit'sTress！is it a diamond？〃
〃That question I have already asked myself。〃
〃Let me look at it！ It will be safe with me！ It's mine！〃
I immediately put the thing behind my back。
〃Pardon me； it belongs neither to you nor to me。 It belongs； in
all probability； to the person who sold that puzzle to the man from
whom you bought itperhaps some weeping widow； Pugh； or hopeless
orphanthink of it。 Let us have no further misunderstanding upon
that point； my dear old friend。 Still； because you are my dear old
friend； I am willing to trust you with this discovery of mine； on
condition that you don't attempt to remove it from my sight； and
that you return it to me the moment I require you。〃
〃You'reyou're very hard on me。〃 I made a movement toward my
waistcoat pocket。 〃I'll return it to you！〃
I handed him the crystal； and with it I handed him my pocket lens。
〃With the aid of that glass I imagine that you will be able to
subject it to a more acute examination； Pugh。〃
He began to examine it through the lens。 Directly he did so； he
gave an exclamation。 In a few moments he looked up at me。 His
eyes were glistening behind his spectacles。 I could see he
trembled。
〃Tress； it'sit's a diamond； a Brazil diamond。 It's worth a
fortune！〃
〃I'm glad you think so。〃
〃Glad I think so！ Don't you think that it's a diamond？〃
〃It appears to be a diamond。 Under ordinary conditions I should
say； without hesitation； that it was a diamond。 But when I
consider the circumstances of its discovery； I am driven to doubts。
How much did you give for that puzzle； Pugh？〃
〃Ninepence； the fellow wanted a shilling； but I gave him ninepence。
He seemed content。〃
〃Ninepence！ Does it seem reasonable that we should find a diamond；
which； if it is a diamond； is the finest stone I ever saw and
handled； in a ninepenny puzzle？ It is not as though it had got
into the thing by accident； it had evidently been placed there to
be found； and； apparently； by anyone who chanced to solve the
puzzle； witness the writing on the scrap of paper。〃
Pugh re…examined the crystal。
〃It is a diamond！ I'll stake my life that it's a diamond！〃
〃Still； though it be a diamond； I smell a rat！〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I strongly suspect that the person who placed that diamond inside
that puzzle intended to have a joke at the expense of the person
who discovered it。 What was to be the nature of the joke is more
than I can say at present； but I should like to have a bet with you
that the man who compounded that puzzle was an ingenious practical
joker。 I may be wrong； Pugh； we shall see。 But； until I have
proved the contrary； I don't believe that the maddest man that ever
lived would throw away a diamond worth； apparently； shall we say a
thousand pounds？〃
〃A thousand pounds！ This diamond is worth a good deal more than a
thousand pounds。〃
〃Well； that only makes my case the stronger； I don't believe that
the maddest man that ever lived would throw away a diamond worth
more than a thousand pounds with such utter wantonness as seems to
have characterized the action of the original owner of the stone
which I found in your ninepenny puzzle； Pugh。〃
〃There have been some eccentric characters in the world； some very
eccentric characters。 However； as you say； we shall see。 I fancy
that I know somebody who would be quite willing to have such a
diamond as this； and who； moreover； would be willing to pay a fair
price for its possession； I will take it to him and see what he
says。〃
〃Pugh； hand me back that diamond。〃
〃My dear Tress； I was only going〃
Bob came in with the breakfast tray。
〃Pugh； you will either hand me that at once； or Bob shall summon
the representatives of law and order。〃
He handed me the diamond。 I sat down to breakfast with a hearty
appetite。 Pugh stood and scowled at me。
〃Joseph Tress； it is my solemn conviction； and I have no hesitation
in saying so in plain English； that you're a thief。〃
〃My dear Pugh； it seems to me that we show every promise of
becoming a couple of thieves。〃