Копи царя Соломона

           MyDearQuatermain, 

           Isendyoualineafewmailsbacktosaythatthethreeofus,George,Good,andmyself,fetchedupallrightinEngland. WegotofftheboatatSouthampton,andwentuptotown. YoushouldhaveseenwhataswellGoodturnedouttheverynextday, beautifullyshaved,frockcoatfittinglikeaglove,brandneweye-glass,etc.,etc. Iwentandwalkedintheparkwithhim,whereImetsomepeopleIknow,andatoncetoldthemthestoryofhis"beautifulwhitelegs." 

           Heisfurious,especiallyassomeill-naturedpersonhasprinteditinaSocietypaper. 

           Tocometobusiness, GoodandItookthediamondstoStreeter’stobevalued,aswearranged,andreallyIamafraidtotellyouwhattheyputthemat, itseemssoenormous. Theysaythatofcourseitismoreorlessguess-work,assuchstoneshavenevertotheirknowledgebeenputonthemarketinanythinglikesuchquantities. Itappearsthat(withtheexceptionofoneortwoofthelargest)theyareofthefinestwater,andequalineverywaytothebestBrazilianstones. Iaskedthemiftheywouldbuythem,buttheysaidthatitwasbeyondtheirpowertodoso,andrecommendedustosellbydegrees,overaperiodofyearsindeed,forfearlestweshouldfloodthemarket. Theyoffer,however,ahundredandeightythousandforaverysmallportionofthem. 

           Youmustcomehome,Quatermain,andseeaboutthesethings,especiallyifyouinsistuponmakingthemagnificentpresentofthethirdshare,whichdoesnotbelongtome,tomybrotherGeorge.