But, third and
last, I have tried it with the hermeneutic proof, and dipped it in this
most costly lembic; and the liquor remains pure green and clear, not
turbid orange, a diamond leaves it.'
As he spoke the room spun round, and I felt the sickness and
heart-sinking that comes with the sudden destruction of long-cherished
hope. So it was all a sham, a bit of glass, for which we had risked our
lives. Blackbeard had only mocked us even in his death, and from rich men
we were become the poorest outcasts. And all the other bright fancies
that had been built on this worthless thing fell down at once, like a
house of cards. There was no money now with which to go back rich to
Moonfleet, no money to cloak past offences, no money to marry Grace; and
with that I gave a sigh, and my knees failing should have fallen had not
Elzevir held me.
'Nay, son John,' squeaked the old man, seeing I was so put about, 'take
it not hardly, for though this is but paste, I say not it is worthless.
It is as fine work as ever I have seen, and I will offer you ten silver
crowns for it; which is a goodly sum for a sailor-lad to have in hand,
and more than all the other buyers in this town would bid you for it.'
'Tush, tush,' cried Elzevir, and I could hear the bitterness and
disappointment in his voice, however much he tried to hide it; 'we are
not come to beg for silver crowns, so keep them in your purse.
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