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But perhaps Miss Donovan might have them now, through me, at the original price." Gorman began to be interested. "Madame tired of them?" he asked. "Wants to sell?" "Tired of them!" said Goldsturmer. "No. For any one who loves pearls that would be impossible. But desires to sell. Yes." "Well," said Gorman. "That's her affair and yours. I don't see that I have anything to do with it."
Donovan promised to pay down the purchase money as soon as he was satisfied that the island really existed. The most Gorman could screw out of him in the way of an advance was £5,000. The evening after the "instrument" was signed, Gorman had a visit from Goldsturmer, the well-known jeweller. The man, a rather unctuous, but very suave and polite German Jew, was shown into Gorman's sitting-room.
"Look here," said Gorman. "There's evidently been some mistake about Goldsturmer and the pearls. I don't profess to understand what's happening, but if I'm to help you in any way " "You are to help damnably," said the King. "Are you not our friend?" "In that case," said Gorman, "before I go a step further into the matter I must know what on earth the Emperor has got to do with Madame's pearls."
"The lady herself cannot pay; but the King she tells me that his Majesty has recently sold an estate situated in Megalia to a wealthy American. Now if that is true " "Perhaps in that case the King might pay," said Gorman. "I wonder," said Goldsturmer, "if the sale has taken place?" "Shouldn't think it likely," said Gorman. Goldsturmer paused. For quite a minute he sat looking at Gorman.
"Goldsturmer," said Madame, "is a devil. He will not trust me for one day, although he knows Konrad well." Goldsturmer would probably have said that he refused to trust Madame because he knew Konrad well. Gorman promised to lay the Salissa proposal before Donovan, and to get him, if possible, to pay at least ten thousand of the purchase money in advance.
They are suited for the wearing of a queen. Only a queen should have them." Miss Donovan was, of course, a queen. Gorman wondered whether Goldsturmer knew that. He looked at the little Jew sharply. Goldsturmer's face wore a far-away dreamy expression.
There's the Island of Salissa, for instance." Gorman was startled by the mention of Salissa. He may possibly have shown his surprise. Steinwitz went on: "By the way, talking of Salissa, Goldsturmer told me a curious thing the other day. You know Goldsturmer, don't you?" "The jewel man?" "Yes.
"In this case," said Steinwitz, "her story was a ridiculous one, absurd on the face of it. She said that the American girl wants to set up as a monarch and that Konrad Karl had sold her the right to call herself Queen of Salissa." "Either Goldsturmer was pulling your leg," said Gorman, "or Madame was pulling his. Was she trying to get anything out of him?" "Pearls," said Steinwitz.
"Beg pardon, sir," said the landlord, "but the gentleman says his business is most pressing." Gorman reflected. If Goldsturmer had given the landlord five shillings and this seemed likely the business must be very pressing indeed; and King Konrad Karl could not yet have become an absolute slave to the virtue of punctuality. "Show him in here," said Gorman; "that will save time."
If that girl, that miss, who is more imbecile than all other jeunes filles if she obtains that rope of pearls from Goldsturmer, those pearls which ought to be mine, I shall go mad and take poison, very terrible poison, and die in front of your eyes, Konrad."
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