chap, xv A SECRET PURCHASE 51
with
a good deal of mystery, removed his headdress and untwisted his locks,
which, according to the usual custom, were bound round his head. Then I
observed a small rag appearing amidst his hair, in which there was
concealed a diamond, weighing 48 1/2 of our carats, of beautiful water
and of cabuchon1 shape, three-quarters of the stone
clear, save for a small flaw on one side which appeared to penetrate
some distance into the stone. The remaining quarter was full of flaws
and red spots.
While
I examined the stone, the Banian, seeing the attention which I gave to
it, said, ' Do not trouble yourself now, you will see it to-morrow
morning at your leisure when you are alone. When a fourth of the day
has passed ', it is thus that they speak,2 ' you will find
me outside the town, and if you wish for the stone you will bring the
price of it with you,' and he then stated the amount he wanted for it.
For it should be stated en passant that after this quarter of
the day the Banians, both male and female, disappear into the city or
town where they dwell, both to satisfy the ordinary necessities of
nature and bathing, as well as to say the prayers which their priests
require them to repeat. The Banian having named this hour—because he
did not wish anyone to see us together—I did not fail to go in search
of him, and carried with me the price he asked, less by 200 pagodas,
which I kept apart, in reserve. But in the end, after we had bargained
for a short time, I gave him 100 pagodas extra. On my return to Surat I
sold the stone to a Dutch captain, and I earned a fair profit from the
transaction.
Three
days after I had bought this stone a messenger arrived from Golkonda
who had been sent by an apothecary, named Boete, whom I had left at
Golkonda to receive and take care of a part of my money, and in the
event of the Shroff paying in rupees, he was to change them into golden
pagodas. The day after he had received payment, he was attacked by so
serious a disorder in the stomach that he
1 A cabuchon diamond is one merely polished, not cut (New English Diet. s.v.).
1 The day is divided into four pahars which terminate at 9 a.m., 12 m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m.
e2
