"I am sure we can please his Highness," said Mr. Boon, with impressive confidence. There fleeted across his mind the vision of the tremendous value of the advertisement which the royal patronage would give him. The papers were full of the doings of the distinguished visitors. He himself on his way to the office had been guilty of the pardonable curiosity which the lower classes call rubber-necking; and he had even discussed--in common with 89,999,999 fellow-Americans--the personal pulchritude of the royal ladies. Usually democracy is enabled to apologize to itself for its undemocratic interest in feminine royalty by saying, "She isn't at all goodlooking." That excuse, however, did not serve in this instance. The Princess Patricia was the most popular girl in New York--with the classes because she was the princess, and with the masses because she was so pretty! And to think of selling pearls to her!
He closed his eyes and ecstatically read what the papers would print about the sale! He heard himself saying to Mrs. Carmpick, of Pittsburg: "This necklace is handsomer than the one we sold to Princess Patricia!" He heard the rattle in the throats of Johnson & Pierce, of J. Storrs' Sons, of the sixteen partners of Goffony's, dying from apoplexy superinduced by envy, or from starvation following the loss of all the swell customers!
"Ah, you realize, of course, Boon, that his Royal Highness's patronage is worth many thousands to your firm. What?"
The colonel's eyes, Mr. Boon thought, were cold and greedy, as befitted a common grafter. Mr. Boon resented this, having himself been caught red-handed getting something for nothing. If he had to pay a commission--"We appreciate the honor, of course, Colonel Lowther," he said, deferentially--and non-committally.
"Quite so! You ought to, considering how the newspapers will mention your shop."
"I may suggest, Colonel Lowther, that our firm's reputation--"
"I know its reputation. That's why I am here"--the colonel's voice seemed colder than a Canadian cold spell--"but it is no better than your competitors'--Goffony, Johnson & Pierce, or J. Storrs' Sons. I figured that the duke's patronage should be worth thousands to Welch, Boon & Shaw; so you must make me a special price."