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Sapphires in My Life 37
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were
Montanas, and without waiting to see if, despite this, he was likely to
come out well on the deal, Gordon repaired at once to Hatton Garden,
buttonholing every dealer of consequence he met on the kerb to tell him
that he had been cheated. By the time he had reached the building in
which Tannenbaum had his office he had worked himself into a great
state of rage and excitement. And when he saw the bland Tannenbaum
himself coming down the stairs in company with several other merchants,
he gave tongue at once at the top of his voice.
"What's bitten you, Gordon?" asked Tannenbaum benevolently. "Have you gone off your head?"
Gordon repeated his charges in detail.
"So you figure you have paid me too much, is that it?" said Tannenbaum.
"Paid you too much? Yes, and you know it!" cried Gordon.
"How much too much?" asked Tannenbaum kindly. "Double? Treble? Four times too much?"
"At least four times too much," said Gordon more calmly.
"Very
well," said Tannenbaum, "if that is all, we can soon put that right.
You stay down here in the hall, Gordon. You are puffed already and I'll
save you climbÂing all those stairs."
Up
went Tannenbaum to his office on the top floor, and dragged out on to
the landing a huge wooden box filled to the brim with rough Montana
sapphires; then, flourishÂing a good-sized coal-shovel, he shouted
down: "Gordon! Gordon, do you hear me? I call all these fellows with you
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