fromwhichhehadgatheredrichexperiendextensiveknowledge.Hecoulddistinguishbetweehefrauduleagndcouldtellexactlythequalityanddegreeofperfeofadiamondandotherpreciousgemswithouthavingtoresorttostifistruments.Hewasaowledgedasthesupremeauthorityonappraisingdiamondsandotherpreciousstones.Besidesbeingaappraiser,hewasgiftedairofextremelycleverhandsandatalentforcreatinginandingenuousdesignsthatwonhimuniversaccim.Asaresulthisjewelrywasmuchsoughtafterandthepricesskyrocketed.SuchtalentnaturallycaughttheeyeofDr.Seiderandbecamehisright-handmahelogicaldidatechosentopresideovertheannualexhibitionandau.
ThecurtainformallyroseonthislongtoutedauwhenDr.SeiderbowedtotheaudiendexitedthestageextendinghisarmstowardsMr.Wolfeasifsaying,“It’sallyavelinhandMr.Wolfewalkedtowardsthepodiumandtheverysightofthesmilingandexperiencedaueerathisprofessionalpostgalvaheaudienoldhandatthis,Mr.Wolfecertainlykneorktheaudieheatmosphereintheroomrosetoaredhotpitch.Thefirstitemtobeunveiledoiontablewasahuge10-caratdiamond.Thergesonthewallbehindeachexhibitshowedenrgedpicturesfromeveryahattheaudiencecouldhaveanenhancedviewoftheitehadsofewfwsthatnoeboratedesignwasoenhasperfeandthesimplecutsthejewelerusedtomakeitintonlyaugmentedandamplifieditsvalue.BiddercardswereraisedinallersoftheroomandofferswerequicklyaowledgedaedbyMr.Wolfe,whotinuouslyrepeatedthetestbiduntilitpedbyahemoodtureheridfamousfromalroundtheworldtriedtooutdoeachotherandfunttheirwealth.Theauroombecameastageforthemtopeteandshowofftheirfinancialpowerfortodefeatyouroppoandhavehimtrouyourfeetasitwere,wasagreatsatisfatotheirvanity.Thegratutionsofothersontheirsuccessmadethemfeesiftheywerewalkingonclouds.Samanthanormallylovedthesegatherings,butonthisoccasiontherewasnoteveofherandshemadenomovementatalltojoininthefun.MegginnwascuriousandlookedatherinquiringlyandSamanthasmiledather.Hereyesseemedtosay,“Ihavealreadyselectedmytarget.Waitandsee.”Iy,likepaintingsandantiques,preciousstoneshadobjectivepriceorvalue.Everythingdepeheeyeofthebeholder,onhowmuchthepersonbuyingitlovedit.Letussaysomeonegaveyouafamouspaintingoranantique.Ifyoudonotknowitshistoryordonotparticurlylikeit,toyouitwouldonlybeapieceofpaperorapileofmetalscraps.Butifyouknowthehistoryofthepaintingorantiqueandlovedit,youwouldbewillingtopayanyastronomicalpricetogetitforyourself,solongasitwaswithinyourmeans.Butofcourseunlikepaintingsandantiques,gemsdohaveaparativelyreasonablemarketprice,butthatisnotalwaysobjectiveasyouhavetotakeintosideratioionsofthebuyer.Verysoon,thehugeexquisite10-caratdiamondwassoldforanastronomicalpridtheroomexplodedihusiasticg.
Theemexhibitedoionblockearl,beautifulbothinshapeandluster.Mr.Wolfeshouted,“Attentionplease,diesaleman!Atfirstghismayappeartobejustanerawpearlthatthebuyercouldbuyandpntomakeintorapendantforaneckce.Butthispearlisnotatallomeshowyouitsfabulouspropertieswhiaynotbeawareof.”Thenturningbackstage,heordered,“Lightsoutplease!”Theelectrisatooworktocutoffelectricitytothedeliershangingfromtheceilingandtheroompluodarkheonlylightintheroomcamefromthepearlwhichgaveoffagleaminglustroussheen.Theaudiencegaspedandexcimedinsurprise.InthedarknesscameMr.Wolfevoicesaying,“ThispearlcamefromtheaPersianEmpire.Itiswhattheesecall“pearlthatshinightinthedark”.ThelightcameonbutMegginnwasdeepinthought.Bidsfromalroundherwereshoutedexcitedly,butshedidohearthematall.ShestaredilyatthepearlthinkingofthepearlsproduthecrystalbluewatersoftheKingdomofDreams.“Deannaoftenswamthereandboughtuppearlsforustopywith,someofwhichwerergeasade-shelledlitchi”sheremembered.“Inthegreatdomeofthegoldpace,therewasaheavygoldholdingupahugepearlrgeasahumanskull.TheysayDeannagotitfromthemouthanenormousoysteratthebottomoftheke.Atnight,thathugepearlsogaveoffasoftlustrouslight,whichthoughnotverybright,couldillumihehallsothatthefeaturesofone’sfacewereperfectlydisable.SuchpearlswereonpdcouldbegoteasilyintheKingdomofDreamsastheywereeverywhere,buthereinthismundaneworldsuchapearlwassideredunique,whichiswhythereisasaying,“Objectsarevaluedbecauseoftheirrarity.”Immersedinthought,Megginnwasnotawareofthepassingoftime,butitemafteritemweresoldforunbelievablyhighprices,andexcmationsofsurpriseorshockcouldbeheard.
ThehegrandfihepinkdiamondthatSamanthahadtargeted.Darkpinkincolor,thehugediamondlookedlikeabeautifullittlegirlstrollingandradiatedadazzlingbrillianceovertheautable.Theworkmanshipofthediamondcutterwasreallysuperbwitheveryfacetgivingoffamagnifitsparkle.Ifitweremadeintoapendantanddrapedaroundtheneaptinum,itwouldbesuretoattractalleyesinanyassemblysoitwasnowohatallthediespresentlookeduponitwithenviousandcovetouseyes.Mr.Wolfesighedandsaidemotionally,“ThisismostperfectdiamondIhaveeverseeninmywholelife.Thereisnottheslightestimperfeinit.Nooneknowswhiiuscutthisfwlessgemsoperfectly.
“Whoownsthisdiamond?”shoutedsomeoheaudience.
“Idon’tknow”repliedMr.Wolfewithawrysmile.“Sheisverymysteriousandrefusestogivehername.Ilytellyousheisaverybeautifulwoman,sowearecallingthisdiamond‘PinkPuzzle’.”
“Wherewasitspcein?Whitididitefrom?”askedanother.
“Idon’tknow”repliedMr.Wolfeshakinghishead.“Ihaveseenmanypreciousstonesinmylife,butIhavenowayofdeterminingtheinofthisdiamondbecauseIhaveneverseehispureandofsuchimmacuteproperties.Iftherewasafw,nomatterhowminuscule,Iwouldbeabletotellyouitspcein,butthisoneissoperfectithasleftmeclueless…PerhapsthisbeautifulgemflewdownfrombeyondtheskiesandwasGod’spresenttomankind.”Hiswordsstuheaudiendforamomenttherewaspletesilehperhapsonlythebreathingofone’sneighbuelyaudible.frontedbyajewelsoperfectthatevenaoisseurlikeMr.Wolfecouldspcein,ownedbyamysteriouspersonnoonehadeverseenorheardofandcamericetagonecouldonlyfathom,heaudiencedaredtomakeabid.Feelingthattheatmosphereintheroomwasgettingawkwardandstagnant,Dr.Seideragaiageandsaid,“Perhapsthepriceofthisdiamondisslightlyhigherthannormandourhonorabletsneedprivadtimetothinkitover.Thoseied,pleasetacteithermeorMr.Wolfepersonallyandwewilltalkindividually.Ourannuauisnowehankyouallforing.”Mr.Kaffee’sreportoftheauetoahevariousfast-forwardsarioshedescribedalsostoppedabruptly.
Thegoodfriends,whohadgatheredtogetherinCharina’slivingroomtolistentoMr.Kaffee’satoftheau,fellsilent.SuddenlyDwarfMickeyhitthecoffeetablesohardwithhishandsthatthecupsandsaucersonitshuddered.Maureen,whowasasleepinDimitri’sp,wokeup.Hisearsstiffeoattentionandhisinquisitiveeyeslookedathisfriendinquiringly.
“IknowitmustbetheworkofMr.Finger!”saidDwarfMickeyangrilyinhisshrillvoice.“Wewerelookingforhimeverywhere,wabouthissafety,whilehesneakedbacktotheKingdomofDreams,foundhisbrideVio,whoIbelievetobethethiefthatstolemytreasures.ItracedhimtotheKingdomofdreamsandlosttrathere,neverdreamingthathehadinatedtoatinywomanthesamesizeasMr.Finger,asifshehadbedesignedjustfago,theyseemedtobemortalenemieswhowereateachother’sthroatattemptingtokilleachother,butnowtheyseemedtohavereciledandarealllovey-doveyagain.IthinkitwasthatwomanViowhousedsomekindofmagicpowertoehofthemtoassumebodiesofnormalhumanbeings.Theytheothetreasuretroveandbroughtpartofitbaundaneworldandarehaviimeoftheirlivessquanderingmoneylikethere’snotomorrow.Theytookmyprizediamondthatlookedlikealovelylittlegirlstrollingandcalledit‘PinkPuzzle’.Yeah,thatnameisquiteappropriate.Theytookmytreasuretotheautogetasmueyaspossibletosupporttheirvishlifestyle.That’sreallyunfivable!”
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