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"The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy,

dressed only in his shirt and trousers, was standing beside the

light, holding the coronet in his hands. He appeared to be

wrenching at it, or bending it with all his strength. At my cry

he dropped it from his grasp and turned as pale as death. I

snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with

three of the beryls in it, was missing.

"'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You have

destroyed it! You have dishonoured me forever! Where are the

jewels which you have stolen?'

"'Stolen!' he cried.

"'Yes, thief!' I roared, shaking him by the shoulder.

"'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he.

"'There are three missing. And you know where they are. Must I

call you a liar as well as a thief? Did I not see you trying to

tear off another piece?'