ordinarily kept? His confidence in Ducie would scarcely carry him as far
as that. In any case, it would be something to have seen the Diamond,
and for the rest, Ducie must trust to the chapter of accidents and his
own wits. On one point he was fully determined--to make the Diamond his
own at any cost, if the slightest possible chance of doing so were
afforded him. He was dazzled by the magnitude of the temptation; so much
so, indeed, that he never seemed to realise in his own mind the foulness
of the deed by which alone it could become his property. Had any man
hinted that he was a thief, either in act or intention, he would have
repudiated the term with scorn--would have repudiated it even in his own
mind, for he made a point of hoodwinking and cozening himself, as though
he were some other person whose good opinion must on no account be
forfeited.

Captain Ducie awaited with hidden impatience the hour when it should
please M. Platzoff to fulfil his promise. He had not long to wait. Three
evenings later, as they sat in the smoking-room, said Platzoff:
"To-night you shall see the Great Hara Diamond. No eyes save my own have
seen it for ten years. I must ask you to put yourself for an hour or two
under my instructions. Are you minded so to do?"

"I shall be most happy to carry out your wishes in every way," answered
Ducie. "Consider me as your slave for the time being."

"Attend, then, if you please. This evening you will retire to your own
rooms at eleven o'clock. Precisely at one-thirty a.m., you will come
back here. You will be good enough to come in your slippers, because it
is not desirable that any of the household should be disturbed by our
proceedings. I have no further orders at present."