Saying this, he took from his pocket a small box, and taking out a piece of paper, he took from it a button to which adhered a piece of navy blue stuff.
Valerius, who was not in the least moved by the threat of the commissioner, for he was a man to brave martyrdom, looked at the box curiously. When the agent displayed the button, a movement of great surprise escaped him.
“You see,” the agent exclaimed, “that you know this cloth!”
“Will you permit me to look at it?” Valerius asked.
“Willingly, but on condition that you do not touch it; it is precious.”
Valerius took the box, and approaching the front of the shop, looked at the button and the piece of cloth.
“It is a button marked ‘A.P.,’ as you see, and we know that you use these buttons.”
“I do not deny it; they are good buttons, and I give only good things to my customers.”
Returning the box to the agent, he took a large book and began to turn over the leaves; pieces of cloth were pasted on the pages, and at the side were several lines of large handwriting. Arriving at a page where was a piece of blue cloth, he took the box and compared this piece with that of the button, examining it by daylight.
“Sir,” he said, “I am going to tell you some very serious things.”