Thus we came to another landing, and there he flung open the door of a
room which looked out west, and had the light of the setting sun
streaming in full flood through the window. The change from the dimness
of the stairs to this level red blaze was so quick that for a minute I
could make out nothing, but turning my back to the window saw presently
that the room was panelled all through with painted wood, with a bed let
into the wall on one side, and shelves round the others, on which were
many small coffers and strong-boxes of iron. The jeweller was sitting at
a table with his face to the sun, holding the diamond up against the
light, and gazing into it closely, so that I could see every working of
his face. The hard and cunning look had come back to it, and he turned
suddenly upon me and asked quite sharply, 'What is your name, boy? Whence
do you come?'
Now I was not used to walk under false names, and he took me unawares,
so I must needs blurt out, 'My name is John Trenchard, sir, and I come
from Moonfleet, in Dorset.'
A second later I could have bitten off my tongue for having said as much,
and saw Elzevir frowning at me to make me hold my peace. But 'twas too
late then, for the merchant was writing down my answer in a parchment
ledger. And though it would seem to most but a little thing that he
should thus take down my name and birthplace, and only vexed us at the
time, because we would not have it known at all whence we came; yet in
the overrulings of Providence it was ordered that this note in Mr.
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