Well, if I must, I must, though after such a disgrace I
shall get no sleep to-night. One," and his hammer fell for the first
time. "Think, gentlemen, upon my position, think what the eminent
owners, who with their usual delicacy have stayed away, will say to me
when I am obliged to tell them the disgraceful truth. Two," and his
hammer fell a second time. "Smith, hold up that flower. Let the
company see it. Let them know what they are losing."
Smith held up the flower at which everybody glared. The little ivory
hammer circled round Mr. Primrose's head. It was about to fall, when a
quiet man with a long beard who hitherto had not joined in the
bidding, lifted his head and said softly:
"Eighteen hundred."
"Ah!" exclaimed Mr. Primrose, "I thought so. I thought that the owner
of the greatest collection in England would not see this treasure slip
from his grasp without a struggle. Against you, Mr. Woodden."
"Nineteen, sir," said Woodden in a stony voice.
"Two thousand," echoed the gentleman with the long beard.
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