Now, I had no objection to carrying on a trade with certain business
connections of mine at the Cape--and after some conversation with
Multenius he and I arranged to buy and sell diamonds together here in
London, and I at once paid over a sum of money to him as working capital.
The transactions were carried out in his name. It was he, chiefly, who
conducted them--he was as good and keen a judge of diamonds as any man I
ever knew--and no one here was aware that I was concerned in them. I never
went to his shop in Praed Street but twice--if it was absolutely necessary
for him to see me, we met in the City, at a private office which I have
there. Now you understand the exact relations between Daniel Multenius and
myself. We were partners--in secret.
"We come, then, to recent events. Early in this present autumn, we heard
from Mr. Stephen Purvis, with whom I had had some transactions in South
Africa, that he had become possessed of a rare and fine orange-yellow
diamond and that he was sending it to us. It arrived at Multenius's--
Multenius brought it to me at my city office and we examined it, after
which Multenius deposited it in his bank.
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