"
"I have told Dr. Thorndyke about your voyage and your trip down the
Mediterranean," said Mr. Brodribb.
"Then," said Calverley, "I will begin with the events that are actually
connected with these strange visitations. The first of these occurred in
Marseilles. I was in a curio-shop there, looking over some Algerian and
Moorish tilings, when my attention was attracted by a sort of charm or
pendant that hung in a glass case. It was not particularly beautiful,
but its appearance was quaint and curious, and took my fancy. It
consisted of an oblong block of ebony in which was set a single
pear-shaped pearl more than three-quarters of an inch long. The sides of
the ebony block were lacquered--probably to conceal a joint--and bore a
number of Chinese characters, and at the top was a little gold image
with a hole through it, presumably for a string to suspend it by.
Excepting for the pearl, the whole thing was uncommonly like one of
those ornamental tablets of Chinese ink.
"Now, I had taken a fancy to the thing, and I can afford to indulge my
fancies in moderation. The man wanted five pounds for it; he assured me
that the pearl was a genuine one of fine quality, and obviously did not
believe it himself.
Pages:
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252