But I could not look him back again, and
turned my eyes away, for I was wilful, and would not bring myself to let
the diamond go. Yet all the while I thought that what he said was true,
and I remembered that sermon that Mr. Glennie preached, saying that life
was like a 'Y', and that to each comes a time when two ways part, and
where he must choose whether he will take the broad and sloping road or
the steep and narrow path. So now I guessed that long ago I had chosen
the broad road, and now was but walking farther down it in seeking after
this evil treasure, and still I could not bear to give all up, and
persuaded myself that it was a child's folly to madly fling away so fine
a stone. So instead of listening to good advice from one so much older
than me, I set to work to talk him over, and persuaded him that if we got
the diamond again, and ever could sell it, we would give the money to
build up the Mohune almshouses, knowing well in my heart that I never
meant to do any such thing. Thus at the last Elzevir, who was the
stubbornest of men, and never yielded, was overborne by his great love to
me, and yielded here.
It was ten o'clock before we set out together, to go again to
Aldobrand's, meaning to climb the garden wall and get the stone. I walked
quickly enough, and talked all the time to silence my own misgivings, but
Elzevir hung back a little and said nothing, for it was sorely against
his judgement that he came at all.
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