“Iknow.Iknow”saidSalina,suddenlyturningtenseaed.“IknohyIamhavingthesebadomensofthefuture.WhenIclimbedupfromthesteepcliffthatday,Ifoundthatallthesentrieshadabaheirpostsandeveryohebarbariansoldiersandnativeshaddisappeared.ImmediatelyafterthattheearthquakeandtsunamihappenedandIalmostlostmylifeiurbulentwaves.Whydidthenativesdisappear?”JustthentherewasaknockatthedoorandMr.Wolfewalkedin,smilingwidely,beamingwithsatisfa.
Josephioppedbeforethedoorofanofficewhereindistinctmurmursofversationcouldbeheard.Whenthevoicescametoastop,shetooktheopportunitytoknodheardsomeonesay,“einplease.”JosephinepushedopenthedoorandsawMr.Seider,theowhisworld-famousjewelrystore,sittingbehindhisdeskwhichiledhighwithallkindsofbookslikearetailbookseller.Thebookcasewasfullofallkindsofbooksongeology,somewereopened,andsomewereidonthefloor.Itcouldbepresumedthatthiswastheofficeofastudiousacademicschor.SeatedacrossfromhimwasMr.Wolfe,hisright-handmanandtheaowledgedauthorityofthejewelryworld.Theroomwasfullofthesmellcoffeeandcigars.Theceilingfanwaswhirling;thewindowswereopenwithssiopreventfliesandmosquitoesfromflyingin.Thisicalold-fashionedoffice.Itwashereinthisutilitarian,low-keyofficethatMr.Seiderpushedhispanystepbystepuptothepinhejewelryworld.Itwasevidentthathewasaservativeman,notgiventoseekifadsandtrends,ashisofficestillretaiheatmosphereandappearahe40sand50s.Thetwoofthemwerediscussingtheseriouscrisisfrontingtheirpany,whieededtoberesolvedimmediately.Iyearstheyhadexpaoorapidlyandhadoverfivehundredbranchesallovertheworldandmorethanthirtythousandemployees.Ihepreseatingfinancialdownturn,theircashflowwasdryingupandtheywereseriouslyshortofcash.Iodowhepanyandyofftheemployeestheyneededasizableamountofmoopaytheseverancepackage,butthehighcssgemsandjewelrywhichtheyhadaccumutedsatidleintheirvariousbrahnopotentialershowinganyi.Withtheirassetslyinginactiveandbankiforthemoheyhadborroweddueeverymonth,theywerebadlyinneedeamountofcashtocuttheirlosses,yoffemployees,dowhepanyandsurvivetofightanotherday.Thetwomensattheretroubled,ragtheirbrainstofindawaytogettherequiredmotonoavail.Mr.Wolfesuddenlygedthesubjedasked,
“Haveyouheardthatretlytwodiamond-richershavebeengoingarouyonashoppingspreeandpayingforeverythinginfabulousdiamonds?Theyseemtohavenocashonhandandpaidforallservidmerdisericelessdiamond.Itdidnotmatterwhetheritwasadiiptoawaiterorachef,clothing,oralmsfgar,thepaymentwasalwaysanenormouslyexpensivediamond.Theydidohaveanymoney,onlydiamonds.It’sreallymysterious,thisstrangecouple.Wonderwheretheycamefrom.”
“I’veheardaboutthem,too”repliedMr.Seider.“It’sreallyunheardof!Theypayforeverythingwithadiamardlessofwhetherthethingtheyboughtensiveorcheap.Itwasasiftheywerestilllivingintheasocietywhereeverythingwasbartered.Itwastheexgeofohingfora’sreallyweird.”
“Isawthatstrangecouplestnight”saidMr.Wolfe.“whenIwaseatingatthesteakhousenearby.Theywereprettyiedibcksportscar.Igavethemmycard.Iwoheywilletolookmeup…ThismtheCEOofoheos/hotelscametomyoffie.Hebroughtalongquiteahandfulhqualitydiamondsandaskedmetoappraisetheheetheyweregiventohiminlieuofpaymentforthechipsathiso.Hesaid“Thetwoofthemwereprettydrunkandlosteverythingatthetablesanditwasmygoodfortuohavebeenthereoandgrabbedholdofthediamonds.Imadeabundlefromthedeal.I’monlyafraidthatinthemwheovertheirhaheywillebacktotheoandasktoredeemtheirdiamondswithcash.Thenitwouldhavebeenmuchadoaboutnothingandtomethatwouldbemoreofalossthanagain!”Mr.Wolfefrownedandtinued,“I’msureyouknowwhothatCEOiswithoutmynaminghim.Heusedtobeinthemafia,thensomehowbecamelegitandisnowthedownerofasuperrgeo.Uponleaving,hesmiledmysteriouslyatmesaying,‘ThesetwepeopledoobecitizensofanytryastheyhadnopassportsorpersonalIDs.Idon’tthinkanyonewouldlookforthemormakeinquiriesiftheyshoulddisappearfromthefaceoftheearth.Therewon’tbeanycluesatall…’andthe.”
“Thosetwopeoplearehere”saidJosephioMr.Wolfe.“Ithinktheyarethediamond-richersyoujustmentiohemaobeanalcoholic.Heisnowdrinkingwhiskeyandwaitingforyou.”Mr.Wolfestoodupandwalkedquicklytowardsthedoor.ThenturnedhisheadandsaidtoMr.Seider,
“Iwillgoathisisalbout.Don’teoutyetandstayoutofthefrayforthetimebeialkitoverwhenIeback.”Afterheleft,Mr.SeiderlookedmeaningfullyatJosephineasifsaying,”Yougobackthereahingsaregoing.Thenebadreporttome.”
WhenJosephibacktothereceptionroom,Mr.Wolfewasrattlingoneloquentlyandincessantlyaboutcars,singingthepraisesofhiscarasifitcouldevenflyintheair.Emmanuelwaslisteningrapturouslywithgreati,butSalinawasleftoutoftheversationandwassittingsilentlyinthecoldonthesidelines.Josephihattheirgsseswereempty,soshewentupandrefilledthemandaddedapieceofitoSalina’sgss.Mr.Wolfemadetheintrodussaying,
“ThisisJosephihebusinessmanagershipstorehere.Ithinkyouhavealreadymether.”EmmanuendSalinanodded.
“It’sagreathonortomeetyou”saidJosephinequickly.ShepssforherselfandsatdowoSalina.Thetwomealkingearlyaboutcarsidetail,abouttheteiquesofdriving,howtoovertakeacar,howtogetawayfromthepursuitofpolicecarsetc.JosephineplimentedSalinaouralbeautythatneedednohelpfrometidexpressedenvyforherperfectskin,dewyplexionandherdelicateandexquisitefigure.SheexcimedovertheexpensivedressSalinawaswearingsayingitwassocssy,suaveaandthatthechoicefullydemonstratedherrefinedandexcellenttaste.ShetheontotellSalinahowherhairsuitedherandhowitwasthetesttrend…SuchextravagantftterysoonhadSalinasmilingandpurringinsatisfaandtent.JosephihenehehugediamondonSalina’sfinger,sayingitwasthergest,purestdiamondshehadeverseeninherlife.
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