"O madam," said Charles, with a look of great mortification, "but that's nothing. Won't you make me of some use to you?--But I beg your pardon, I know you can't think about me just now. Good night," said he, and hurried out of the room.
The news of the loss of the Lively Peggy, with all the particulars mentioned in Alderman Holloway's letter, appeared in the next day's newspapers, and in the succeeding paper appeared an advertisement of Mrs. Howard's house in Portman-square, of her plate, china, furniture, books, &c.--She had never in affluence disdained economy. She had no debts; not a single tradesman was a sufferer by her loss. She had always lived within her annual income; and though her generous disposition had prevented her from hoarding money, she had a small sum in the funds, which she had prudently reserved for any unforeseen exigence. She had also a few diamonds, which had been her mother's, which Mr. Carat, the jeweller, who had new set them, was very willing to purchase. He waited upon Mrs. Howard, in Portman-square, to complete the bargain.
The want of sensibility which Charles showed when his aunt was parting with her jewels to Mr. Carat, would have infallibly ruined him in the opinion of most ladies. He took the trinkets up, one by one, without ceremony, and examined them, asking his aunt and the jeweller questions about the use and value of diamonds--about the working of the mines of Golconda--about the shining of diamonds in the dark, observed by the children of Cogi Hassan, the rope-maker, in the Arabian Tales--about the experiment of Francis the First upon _melting_ of diamonds and rubies. Mr. Carat was a Jew, and, though extremely cunning, profoundly ignorant.
"Dat king wash very grand fool, beg his majesty's pardon," said the Jew, with a shrewd smile; "but kings know better nowadays. Heaven bless dere majesties."
Charles had a great mind to vindicate the philosophic fame of Francis the First, but a new idea suddenly started into his head.
"My dearest aunt," cried he, stopping her hand as she was giving her diamond ear-rings to Mr. Carat--"stay, my dearest aunt, one instant, till I have seen whether this is a good day for selling diamonds."
"O my dear young gentleman, no day in de Jewish calendar more proper for de purchase," said the Jew.