"What can I say, papa? I am not enthusiastic, as you know, nor given to indulge in notes of admiration. I can only say that in my poor experience I have never seen anything to equal it. Diamonds as large, or larger, I have seen several times, but they were all white, or of inferior water. I have never seen a green one at all comparable to this one either for size or brilliancy, and I think, papa, that even your wider experience will, in this respect, tally with mine."
"Completely so," answered the old man. "I question whether, among all the crown jewels of Europe, there is a green diamond that can in any way match it, either for colour or brilliancy. Captain Ducie, your treasure is almost unique."
"Can you furnish me with anything like an estimate of its probable value?"
"I am doubtful whether I can. Were it an ordinary white diamond the value could be easily calculated when once the weight was known. But with a green diamond the case is very different. In addition to what its value would be as an ordinary diamond, it would command an extra or fancy price in the market, from the rarity of its colour in conjunction with its size. This additional value is a most difficult thing to gauge accurately. Even among professional dealers you would hardly find two who would name the same figure, or the same figure within a very wide margin, if called upon to estimate the worth of your green diamond."
"Still," said Ducie, "I should like you to furnish me with some approximate estimate of its probable value."
"What is its weight?"
"Nearly eighty-five carats."
"In that case you may estimate its value somewhere between one hundred and forty and two hundred thousand pounds."
The Diamond had been passed on by Mr. Van Loal to his daughter for examination.
"A gem fit for an empress to wear!" was Mirpah's remark as she handed the stone back to her father.