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Updated: June 24, 2025
'How flatteringly you introduce yourself, monsieur. In the gallery upstairs there is a painting of the Marquise de Bellairs, and when I show it to your tomorrow, you will then understand how charmingly you have pleased a vain woman by your reference to that beautiful lady. But I must not talk in this frivolous strain, monsieur.
Perhaps it may be traced," I suggested. "It was in English sovereigns. I changed it in New York; I got very good exchange," he said, and then, with a momentary outbreak, "God in heaven, how I toiled for it!" he cried. "That doesn't sound encouraging," said I. "It may be worth while to apply to the police, but it doesn't sound a hopeful case." "And I have no hope in that direction," said Bellairs.
"And fifty," from Jim, with a little nervous titter. And with one consent they returned to the old pace, only now it was Bellairs who took the hundreds, and Jim who did the fifty business. But by this time our idea had gone abroad. I could hear the word "opium" pass from mouth to mouth; and by the looks directed at us, I could see we were supposed to have some private information.
"Yes and why shouldn't he?" said I. "Is that the line?" "That's the line, Loudon Dodd," assented Jim. "If Bellairs and his principal have any desire to go me better, I'm their man." A sudden thought, a sudden fear, shot into my mind. What if I had been right? What if my childish pleasantry had frightened the principal away, and thus destroyed our chance?
"If you care to go ahead," I wrote, "I'm in for all I'm worth." Jim read and looked round at me like one bewildered; then his eyes lightened, and turning again to the auctioneer he bid, "Five thousand one hundred dollars." "And fifty," said monotonous Bellairs. Presently Pinkerton scribbled, "What can it be?" and I answered, still on paper: "I can't imagine, but there's something.
"Of secret engagements?" she said calmly. "We do indeed." "Besides it's a bore. I couldn't go with Miss Bellairs to the theatre to-night, because she said it would look too marked." "Yes, and Mr. Ellerton said that if he dined here he might as well announce our engagement from the statue of Strasburg."
She had never been willing to think of her child's regard for Percy as likely to be a lasting feeling, and at most times she really did consider it only as a thing of the past; yet to-night it came before her tiresomely, and she remembered what Mrs. Bellairs had told her lately about his marriage.
A car was in waiting for him there, had whirled him first to the old palace where he had stayed nine months ago with Father Jervis; and then, on finding that Cardinal Bellairs had been unexpectedly sent for to the Vatican, he had gone on there immediately, according to the instructions that had been left with the majordomo.
A phantom central repeated the numbers; there was a pause, and then "Two two four one" came in a tiny voice into my ear a voice with the English sing-song the voice plainly of a gentleman. "Is that you again, Mr. Bellairs?" it trilled. "I tell you it's no use. Is that you, Mr. Bellairs? Who is that?" "I only want to put a single question," said I, civilly. "Why do you want to buy the Flying Scud?"
And Pinkerton, resolved on the big bluff, replied, "Two thousand dollars." Bellairs preserved his composure. "And fifty," said he. But there was a stir among the onlookers, and what was of more importance, Captain Trent had turned pale and visibly gulped. "Pitch it in again, Jim," said I. "Trent is weakening." "Three thousand," said Jim. "And fifty," said Bellairs.
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