THE REGENT. 15
that
a stone which was worth forty-seven thousand pagodas was surely worth
forty-eight. Convinced by this reasoning the Governor went again to
Jamchund and at last closed the bargain at forty-eight thousand
pagodas ($96,000). It was a lucky moment for him, since it was upon
this minute but adamantine corner-stone that the Governor of Fort St.
George began to build up the fortunes of the great house of Pitt. The
diamond, valued far below its price in order not to attract attention,
was sent home to England and lodged with bankers until Mr. Pitt's
return from India, when he had it cut and polished. This process, the
most critical one in the life of a diamond, was performed in an
eminently satisfactory manner. The rough stone, which had weighed four
hundred and ten carats, came forth from the hands of the cutter a pure
and flawless brilliant of unparalleled lustre weighing one hundred and
thirty-six and three fourths carats. It took two years to cut it, and
the cost of the operation was ten thou-
