"This is the one, I believe."
"Yes," said Adam, gazing with admiring eyes, but not venturing to extend his hand that he might look at it more closely. "It's only a little thing, but it's very neat. I reckon it will not be very much, now?"
"Not much in comparison with many of the others, but the stones are good. The price is thirty-five pounds."
Adam stared like one struck dumb, and was turning to go, but "remembering manners," as he afterwards told, he said to the assistant, "Thank you kindly, sir, for telling me. I'm sorry I've given you the trouble but I might have known that the things in a grand shop like this wouldn't be for such as me."
There was something so innocent and genuine in Adam's look and words that the assistant was touched, and he said, "You are very welcome. I am sorry we have not what you want. What did you wish to spend?"
Adam blushed deeply. "Only a matter o' ten shillings, or so. But I never wanted to buy a brooch before, and I know nothing about such matters. I'm to be married in a week or two, and I thought I would buy her a present."
"You must come to us for the wedding ring, then," said the good-humoured shopman. "We will serve you extra well, to make up for your disappointment to-day."
Further than this, the young man told Adam that the pretty glittering things he admired so much were real diamonds, and explained something of their properties and uses, apart from their beauty. It interested him to see the rugged face light up with pleasure and astonishment, and to receive the hearty thanks which followed.
He could not join in the burst of laughter which the rest of the assistants indulged in when Adam was out of hearing, though he smiled at the simplicity of the man, while regretting his disappointment. He was pleased when Adam actually made his appearance a fortnight later, and he was able to fit the finger of the pretty smiling lass who accompanied him with the all-important ring. He even presented the bride elect with a little silver brooch in the shape of a bird, which was still one of Mrs. Livesey's treasured possessions, and of genuine metal, as its durability proved.
This old experience enabled Adam to understand the preacher's teaching better than he could have done without it, and he thought to himself, "If I took real stones for imitations, no wonder other folks sometimes take sham things and people for real good ones till they're taught better, or find 'em out."