Somers is in this room. I am rather short-sighted and there
are a great many people."
"Yes," I answered, "he has just bought the wonderful orchid called
'Odontoglossum Pavo.' That is what they are all talking about."
"Oh, has he? Has he indeed? And pray what did he pay for the article?"
"A huge sum," I answered. "I thought it was two thousand three hundred
shillings, but it appears it was ?2,300."
The handsome, elderly gentleman grew very red in the face, so red that
I thought he was going to have a fit. For a few moments he breathed
heavily.
"A rival collector," I thought to myself, and went on with the story
which, it occurred to me, might interest him.
"You see, the young gentleman was called away to an interview with his
father. I heard him instruct his gardener, a man named Woodden, to buy
the plant at any price."
"At any price! Indeed. Very interesting; continue, sir."
"Well, the gardener bought it, that's all, after tremendous
competition. Look, there he is packing it up. Whether his master meant
him to go as far as he did I rather doubt.
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