206 THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD.
of
his employer. His first objection was to the stone itself. " I afn no
expert," he remarked. " How can I be certain that it is a genuine
diamond ?" The seller thereupon had it submitted to a competent and
disinterested judge ; and when his verdict had been obtained, the agent
thought the price 0640,000) rather high, adding : " I have not full
instructions, and do not think he would give so much. However, I do not
mind taking the responsibility on myself of offering you £32,000. In
fact, as it is evidently a very fine stone, I am prepared to do this on
my own account, and if my employer does not ratify the transaction, you
may still regard it as a bargain, for in that case I will keep the
stone for myself." The expert, to whom it had been submitted, persuaded
Mr. Dresden to accept this offer, and on receipt of £32,000 from a
person probably not worth as many shillings, the diamond passed into
the " middleman's " hands. By him it was conveyed to Bombay, and
handed over to the English merchant, who was given to understand that
no abatement had been made, and that consequently his £40,000 had been
sunk in the purchase. The agent, and it is said one other, had thus a
round sum of £8,000 to divide between them, an arrangement which,
however, would not have " held water " in a court of law.
The
usual ill-luck, apparently inseparable from the possession of all these
great diamonds, now overtook the Bombay trader.* Continuing to do
business
