Mr. Rolles was hugely relieved. The Dictator was as deeply in the
affair as he was; neither could tell tales upon the other. In the
first glow of happiness, the clergyman suffered a deep sigh to
escape him; and as his bosom had become choked and his throat dry
during his previous suspense, the sigh was followed by a cough.
Mr. Vandeleur looked up; his face contracted with the blackest and
most deadly passion; his eyes opened widely, and his under jaw
dropped in an astonishment that was upon the brink of fury. By an
instinctive movement he had covered the hat-box with the coat. For
half a minute the two men stared upon each other in silence. It
was not a long interval, but it sufficed for Mr. Rolles; he was one
of those who think swiftly on dangerous occasions; he decided on a
course of action of a singularly daring nature; and although he
felt he was setting his life upon the hazard, he was the first to
break silence.
"I beg your pardon," said he.
The Dictator shivered slightly, and when he spoke his voice was
hoarse.
"What do you want here?" he asked.
"I take a particular interest in diamonds," replied Mr. Rolles,
with an air of perfect self-possession. "Two connoisseurs should
be acquainted. I have here a trifle of my own which may perhaps
serve for an introduction."
And so saying, he quietly took the case from his pocket, showed the
Rajah's Diamond to the Dictator for an instant, and replaced it in
security.
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