arrange
them according to their water, their weight, and their clearness. Then
they put upon each its price, as near as possible that at which they
would sell to the merchants, and by the latter price they see how much
profit they will have. They now carry them to the large merchants, who
have always great numbers of stones to assort, and all the profit is
divided among the boys, the one who acts as their chief receiving
one-fourth per cent, more than the others. Young as they are, adds
Taver-nier, they know the price of every stone so well that if any of
them have made a purchase, and is willing to lose a half per cent.,
another will give him his money.
He
describes the devices resorted to by jewel-dealers to conceal any
defects there might be in their merchandise ; and the skilful manner of
planning the cutting so as to dispose of flaws.
From
the very moment of its recognition, it would seem that the diamond
quickened the wits of its possessor, and aroused an ambition of
brilliant gain. Even the poor slave in the mines managed occasionally
to elude the sleepless vigilance of the overseers, and conceal a
valuable gem. Tavernier saw in one of the Indian mines a poor wretch
who, to appropriate to himself a fine diamond of the dimensions shown
in Fig. 27, had forced it into the corner of his eye in such a way as to conceal it completely.
