LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 752, 16 November 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE STRANGE STORY OF A DIAMOND,

( Concluded .) ‘I can hardly,’ he demurred, ‘acknowledge that I buy the stone knowing it to be paste, for, as a matter of fact, I know it to be a real diamond.’ ‘ M. le Marquis,’ said the Count coldly, ‘ as 1 have frequenty told you before, the stone is not a diamond, and if you wish to b come the owner of this worthless imitation you must sign these papers, for I cannot allow my honor ia this matter t to ho tin* protected.’ j

Sosthena saw there was no way left but to sign the papers, and his friends, though rather unwillingly, attested by their signatures tha they had been witnesses to this most strange transaction. The money was then paid, and the ring was formally made over to De Valreas, who could hardly believe in his good fortune, so delighted was he. The following morning at ten o’clock precisely he was at Mefieroe’s by appoint ment to consult about a new setting for his treasure.

* I have brought it with me, Alphonse,* said the Marquis, ‘and 1 am certain 1 have made a most wonderful bargain. If, how ever, you really think it is worth more than seventy thousand francs you must tell me so, for I cannot allow the Count to be > loser through his kindness.’ _ _ v ‘ If you will allow me to examine it again,’ replied the jeweller, ‘I will frankly and finally tell you its exact market value.' The Marquis drew it from his waistcoat pocket, and gave it him. Hardly had the jeweller’s eyes lighted on it than he exclaimed, in great agitation, ‘M. le Marquis, this is not the same stone! This is paste 1 You have been cheated !’

‘MyGod!’ cried Sosthene, seizing the ring from the trembling hand of the other. * Impossible! ’ He strode to the window and examined it carefully. At the first glance one not well versed in such matters might have fancied the stone was the same as the one the Count had worn the night of Madame de Manzanilla’s ball. It was the same size, cut in exactly the same way, and in the same queer old-fashioned setting. It was the same in every particular but one : whereas the ring worn by the Count was, so far as the keen intelligence of expert* could determine, a real diamond, of extraordinary beauty and great value, the falseness of this it needed but a casual glance from an experienced eye to detect. As Sosthene stood gazing in a bewildered and dazed way at his strange bargain, he suddenly remembered the letter from the Austrian Embassy; and then, ‘ Mille diables !’ the two statements he had signed. * Misericorde 1 Of course this is false! This is not the same stone.’

‘No, M. le Marquis,’ replied the jeweller, in a trembling voice, * it is certainly not the same stone. That was worth at least seventy thousand francs, whereas this—this ’

‘Well V *As it is a good imitation, and mounted in gold, it may be worth three hundred.’ ‘ 1 must see this scoundrel at once,’ cried the Marquis, ‘ if he be in Paris; he has most probably run away, but he shall suffer for this if I have to ruin myself in prosecuting him 1’ Then hastily putting the ring in his pocket, he ran out of the room, jumped into his carriage, and drove like lightning to the Rue Moliere. If he expected the Count had runaway, he was greatly mistaken ; he was at home, and, as Sosthene entered the room, rose from his chair as if delighted to see him.

‘ This is an unlooked-for pleasure, mon cher Marquis !’ he exclaimed with a cordial smile, advancing with outstretched hand. Sosthene folded his arms, and looked him sternly full in the face. * Monsieur,’ he said gravely, * you have made some mistake. The diamond you sold me yesterday is not the same you left with me a week ago.’ ‘ M. le Marquis, I fail to understand your meaning. I never possessed but one diamond ring, and that is in your possession. ‘ This stone is false, and worthless !’ cried Sosthene, overcome with anger, and,pulling it from his pocket. * Farhleu 1 I told you so.’ ‘ Fripon !’ exclaimed the other, * I cannot fight you, but I will horsewhip you from the Cafe Anglais to the Madeleine, and send you to the hulks!’

‘ Pardon,’ said the little man quietly ; ‘as for horsewhipping me, I hardly think you will do that; and as for your remark about sending me to the hulks, it is my intention to bring an action against you forthwith for libel and defamation of character.’ ‘Defamation of character!’ echoed the Marquis. * Miserable ! It is lucky for you I left my cane below. Do you think we have no laws in this country to punish such canaille as you V ‘ You shall be better acquainted with the laws of your country before the week is over than you are at present, perhaps, M. de Valreas.’

‘ Can you deny that you have cheated and robbed me? My jeweller is witness that the stone is not the same. ’

‘ And on my side,’ retorted the Count with a sneer, ‘ I can call six witnesses, chosen from among your most cherished friends, to prove that I sold you what I openly confessed to be paste.’ * Sosthene was literally dumfounded by the cool villany of the man. The Count rang the bell. « X must request that M. le Marquis to leave me now, I must write to my homme d’affaires without delay about the legal proceedings I shall most certainly institute against him.’ Thus saying, and, as the servant opened the door, bowing haughtily, and motioning Sosthene to leave, he quietly walked into his bedroom.

The poor Marquis left, walking aa if in a dream. It was not the loss of the money, although he could hardly afford to lose so large a sum; it was not even the loss of the diamond, although that was a heavy blow, but it was the terrible ridicule an exposure of the affair would inevitably subject him to. Turning these things over in his mind, he saw, even before he reached his carriage, that it would be well for him to refrain from any horsewhipping or prosecuting. He drove immediately to the hotel of the Duchesse d’Avray, made a full confession of the matter, and implored her to advise him what to do.

‘ Oh, mon Dieu !’ cried the Duchesse, wringing her hands. ‘ What a misfortune ! There is only one thing for you to m You must leave Paris to-night ; remain absent for a month—of course' that canaille will never dare take proceedings against you aa he threatened—and on your return have <fiven up all taste for diamonds. Ces ions > J J arisiens will not dare wonder at any change in your caprices, but it is terrible to leave Paris just the week before the ball of Madame de P •!’

It was terrible, but it had to be done. Soathene left that night, and fled to Rome, where, however, he remained more than a month, for he found thereja human and fema diamond which more than consoled him for the loss of the mineral one; and judging that no setting would become it bat a wedding ring, he managed 10 overcome his hatred of matrimony, and is now a useful member of society, and one of the noisiest of the centre droit.