If this woman had not presented herself under her true colours, evidently she wished to pass for an ordinary dealer. It was also possible that she was really a receiver of stolen goods

Thomery came to a decision.

“I shall have the privilege of seeing the Princess Danidoff tomorrow afternoon; will you therefore leave the pearls with me I... I will show them to her then. Should she express the slightest wish to possess them, I might possibly come to terms with you.”

*****

“Dearest, it is sweet of you to make no objection to the way in which I obtained this jewel for you to see, and to choose for your own, if you will... The correct thing would have been to ask you to accompany me to some well-known jeweller, instead of which, I frankly confess, that these pearls were offered to me on very advantageous terms. If they please you, it will give me the greatest pleasure to see them adorning your graceful neck.”

Princess Sonia laughed.

“My dear, for Heaven’s sake, don’t worry about such a thing as that!... A pearl is no less beautiful because it comes from some unpretentious jeweller’s shop. I am too fond of jewels for their own sake, to trouble about the casket that enshrines them.”

Thomery bowed, well pleased.

“Here then, dear Sonia, are the two pearls entrusted to me as samples... please, dearest, examine them carefully, very carefully... and if you like them, tell me so frankly.” The Princess took the two pearls from her betrothed, and, crossing the great drawing-room, she approached one of the bay windows, lifting the thin hangings that she might the better examine the pearls.

“They are marvellous!” she cried.

“Dear Sonia, you think these gems rarely beautiful?”

“Indeed I do! Their lustre is superb; their quality, their shape, perfect!... Why, my dear, these are the most splendid pearls I have ever seen – with one exception – the only pearls to equal them, are those that were stolen from me!... The loss of them has been a bitter grief... they came to me, you know, from my dear mother!... I never thought to find pearls of such quality again.”

“You consider these to be of as pure a quality then, dear?” Sonia Danidoff continued to examine the two pearls.

“It is really extraordinary,” she cried suddenly. “Do you know, my dear, there are certain peculiarities about their lustre... yes... I could swear that these very pearls you are offering me are two of those stolen from me!” Thomery appeared to have been impatiently awaiting these very words.

“You really, truly believe, Sonia, that they resemble the pearls stolen from you that unlucky evening?

“I repeat – they are identical!

Thomery looked smilingly at Sonia.