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第19章

paul the peddler-第19章

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it were new it would be worth something; but it's old; and〃



〃But you do not understand;〃 interrupted the customer; eagerly。 

〃It is worth much more than new。  Do you see; it is by a famous

maker?  I would not sell him; but I am poor; and my Bettina needs

bread。  It hurts me very much to let him go。  I will buy him back

as soon as I can。〃



〃I will give you two dollars; but I shall lose on it; unless you

redeem it。〃



〃Two dollar!〃  repeated the Italian。  〃Ocielo! it is nothing。 

But Bettina is at home without bread; poor little one!  Will you

not give three dollar?〃



〃Not a cent more。〃



〃I will take it。〃



〃There's your money and ticket。〃



And with these the poor Italian departed; giving one last

lingering glance at his precious violin; as Eliakim took it

roughly and deposited it upon a shelf behind him。  But he thought

of his little daughter at home; and the means of relief which he

held in his hand; and a smile of joy lightened his melancholy

features。  The future might be dark and unpromising; but for

three days; at any rate; she should not want bread。



Paul's turn came next。



〃What have you got?〃 asked the pawnbroker。



Paul showed the ring。



Eliakim took it; and his small; beadlike eyes sparkled

avariciously as he recognized the diamond; for his experience was

such that he could form a tolerably correct estimate of its

value。  But he quickly suppressed all outward manifestations of

interest; and said; indifferently; 〃What do you want for it?〃



〃I want twenty dollars;〃 said Paul; boldly。



〃Twenty dollars!〃  returned the pawnbroker。  〃That's a joke。〃



〃No; it isn't;〃 said Paul。  〃I want twenty dollars; and you can't

have the ring for less。〃



〃If you said twenty shillings; I might give it to you;〃 said

Eliakim; 〃but you must think I am a fool to give twenty dollars。〃



〃That's cheap for a diamond ring;〃 said Paul。  〃It's worth a good

deal more。〃



The pawnbroker eyed Paul sharply。  Did the boy know that it was a

diamond ring?  What chance was there of deceiving him as to its

value?  The old man; whose business made him a good judge;

decided that the ring was not worth less than two hundred and

fifty dollars; and if he could get it into his possession for a

trifle; it would be a paying operation。



〃You're mistaken; boy;〃 he said。  〃It's not a diamond。〃



〃What is it?〃



〃A very good imitation。〃



〃How much is it worth?〃



〃I'll give you three dollars。〃



〃That won't do。  I want to raise twenty dollars; and if I can't

get that; I'll keep the ring。〃



The pawnbroker saw that he had made a mistake。  Paul was not as

much in need of money as the majority of his customers。  He would

rather pay twenty dollars than lose the bargain; though it went

against the grain to pay so much money。  But after pronouncing

the stone an imitation; how could he rise much above the offer he

had already made?  He resolved to approach it gradually。 

Surveying it more closely; he said:



〃It is an excellent imitation。  I will give you five dollars。〃



Paul was not without natural shrewdness; and this sudden advance

convinced him that it was; after all; a real stone。  He

determined to get twenty dollars or carry the ring home。



〃Five dollars won't do me any good;〃 he said。  〃Give me back the

ring。〃



〃Five dollars is a good deal of money;〃 said Eliakim。



〃I'd rather have the ring。〃



〃What is your lowest price?〃



〃Twenty dollars。〃



〃I'll give you eight。〃



〃Just now you said it was worth only three;〃 said Paul; sharply。



〃It is very fine gold。  It is better than I thought。  Here is the

money。〃



〃You're a little too fast;〃 said Paul; coolly。  〃I haven't agreed

to part with the ring for eight dollars; and I don't mean to。 

Twenty dollars is my lowest price。〃



〃I'll give you ten;〃 said the old man; whose eagerness increased

with Paul's indifference。



〃No; you won't。  Give me back the ring。〃



〃I might give eleven; but I should lose money。〃



〃I don't want you to lose money; and I've concluded to keep the

ring;〃 said Paul; rightly inferring from the old man's eagerness

that the ring was much more valuable than he had at first

supposed。



But the old pawnbroker was fascinated by the sparkling bauble。 

He could not make up his mind to give it up。  By fair means or

foul he must possess it。  He advanced his bid to twelve;

fourteen; fifteen dollars; but Paul shook his head resolutely。 

He had made up his mind to carry it to Ball & Black's; or some

other first…class jewelers; and ascertain whether it was a real

diamond or not; and if so to obtain an estimate of its value。



〃I've changed my mind;〃 he said。  〃I'll keep the ring。  Just give

it back to me。〃







CHAPTER XVI



THE JEWELER'S PRICE



But to give it back was not Eliakim's intention。  Should he buy

it at twenty dollars; he would make at least two hundred; and

such bargains were not to be had every day。  He decided to give

Paul his price。



〃I will give you twenty dollars;〃 he said; 〃but it is more than

the ring is worth。〃



〃I have concluded not to take twenty dollars;〃 said Paul。  〃You

may give it back。〃



〃You agreed to take twenty dollars;〃 said Eliakim; angrily。



〃That was when I first came in。  You said you wouldn't give it。〃



〃I have changed my mind。〃



〃So have I;〃 said Paul。  〃You had a chance to get it; but now

it's too late。〃



Eliakim was deeply disappointed。  Generally he had his own way

with his customers; who; being in urgent need of money; were

obliged to accept such terms as he chose to offer。  But now the

tables were turned; and Paul proved more than a match for him。 

He resolved to attempt intimidation。



〃Boy; where did you get this ring?〃 he asked; in a significant

tone。



〃Honestly;〃 said Paul。  〃That's all you need to know。〃



〃I don't believe it;〃 said the old man; harshly。  〃I believe you

stole it。〃



〃You may believe what you like; but you must give it back to me;〃

said Paul; coolly。



〃I've a great mind to call a policeman;〃 said Eliakim。



〃If you did;〃 said Paul; 〃I'd tell him that you were anxious to

get the ring; though you believed it to be stolen。  Perhaps he

might have something to say to you。〃



Eliakim perceived the force of Paul's argument; for in law the

receiver of stolen goods is as bad as the thief; and there had

been occasions when the pawnbroker had narrowly escaped

punishment for thus indirectly conniving at theft。



〃If you say you got it honestly; I'll buy it of you;〃 he said;

changing his tune。  〃What will you take?〃



〃I don't care about selling to…day;〃 answered Paul。



〃I'll give you twenty…five dollars。〃



〃I can't sell without consulting my mother。  It belongs to her。〃



Reluctantly Eliakim gave back the ring; finding his wiles of no

effect。



〃Bring your mother round to…morrow;〃 he said。  〃I'll give you a

better price than you will get anywhere else。〃



〃All right;〃 said Paul。  〃I'll tell her what you say。〃



The old pawnbroker followed Paul with wistful glances; vainly

wishing that he had not at first depreciated the ring to such an

extent; that his subsequent advances had evidently excited his

customer's suspicion that it was more valuable than be supposed。 

He felt that he had lost it through not understanding the

character of the boy with whom he had to deal。



〃Well; Paul; what news of the ring?〃 asked Mrs。 Hoffman; as he

re…entered the room。



〃I was offered twenty…five dollars for it;〃 said Paul。



〃Did you sell it?〃



〃No; mother。〃



〃Why not?〃 asked Jimmy。  〃Twenty…five dollars is a lot of

money。〃



〃I know it;〃 said Paul; 〃but the ring is worth a great deal

more。〃



〃What makes you think so; Paul?〃



〃Because the offer was made by a pawnbroker; who never pays

quarter what an article is worth。  I am sure the ring is worth a

h

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