Day's been a bit wet,
thanks to my Juggins and his kind efforts. But I'll soon find out." And
off he went to the window with a handful of the crystals, and scratched
the glass with them, satisfying himself that they were really diamonds.

"Michael Cospatric," said he, "'tis a great man y'are, and I'll just go
down and let on to the landlord in confidence that you're an American
marquis travelling incognito."

The resources of the hotel had distinct limits, but Haigh's influence
and eloquence strained them to the very verge that night. I did not
merely feed--I dined; and in consequence spoke of the day's heat as
glorious sunshine, saw only the humours of Weems's freaks, and even
passed over the disappointment at the loss of the Recipe without
painting it in over sombre colours. It isn't in my nature to be
miserable or morbid when I've either a good meal under my belt or the
means of getting others stowed within my pockets; and so being
possessed of both these desiderata, I freely admitted to Haigh that
this terrestrial life was thoroughly well worth living.

"One thing is clear," said Haigh, as I relit my pipe after finishing a
full and exhaustive account of the day's doings--"Weems hasn't been
pumped. You've bawled the story abroad yourself."

"How's that, and where?"

"In the _caffe_ at Genoa. You said there was a man sitting beside
you?"

"Not beside, but comparatively near--say a dozen yards off. Yes, I
remember him--a good-looking fellow in coloured pince-nez. But he'd 'no
Sassenach.' Weems had been talking to him just before, and had found
out that. And so as he and I spoke in nothing else but English, I don't
see how the other could have made out what we were jabbering about."

"Do you always parade all your accomplishments, dear boy? Not much. I
also never make fifty breaks at billiards before a mixed audience. And
your friend with the spectacles was the same. Moreover, he saw that
Weems was a garrulous little beast, and not inviting to talk to. So he
just followed the John Chinaman trick and said 'No sabe,' and listened
unnoticed."

"Commend me for a most particular greenhorn."

"Not of necessity. It's an easy mistake to fall into, dear boy. And,
besides, I don't know that you were trapped that way, after all; it's
only a guess on my part."

"By Jove, you must have hit upon the right thing, though, and for this
reason. I only told Weems about the Recipe. I kept back the item about
specimens being bu