“I know, but what will you charge—”
“One moment, I wish to explain my position. Lermina is a genius.”
“Yes, yes, I grant that—”
“You know what geniuses are, just spoiled children; well, he is also about to get married—”
“What the devil has that to do with me—”
“One moment. A genius is bad enough to deal with, but a genius in love is infinitely worse. I ask Lermina to restore this bust, he accepts the commission, but he is in love and can’t be hurried. Three days, well, with seven pounds in my hand I believe I could undertake to persuade him to complete the thing in three days.”
“Well,” said Freyberger, who knew his man right to the place where his heart ought to have been. “Three days won’t do for me. I must have the thing completed by to-morrow morning at ten o’clock.”
Antonides said nothing, but, reaching down, produced an enormous snuff-box from under the counter, took a pinch, tapped the box, and put it back.
Then he smiled and shook his head.
“Come,” said Freyberger, patiently. “By ten o’clock to-morrow morning.”