It was Mr Desmund who spoke, art expert and valuer to a well-known firm of print and book sellers. He had accompanied Gilead round the room, booking his bids--an unwearying resourceful man, with a drooping light moustache, a bright complexion, and pale blue eyes, tired but interested. He wore a loose blue serge suit with a bright tie; his shoulders were bent a trifle beneath their load of specialised knowledge; he was a busy soul, but never too busy for enthusiasm in the right directions or to the right people. What Mr Desmund did not know about Japanese art was not, in the vernacular, worth the knowing. “There, sir!” he said, confident of the exclamation of delight that was to follow. It came, but in tempered form. “Good,” said Gilead. “It is a fine example.” He was more gratified with the print than he thought it politic to confess. “Good!” said Mr Desmund. “There’s not another to better, or equal it, in Europe. Look at that background; look at that gauffrage. You should secure it, Mr Balm. You won’t get such an opportunity again.” “When does it occur for sale?” “On the first day, sir.” “That’s to-morrow?” “Yes, to-morrow.” “What will it fetch--give me an idea?” “Fifty pounds--not a penny less.” “O! that’s absurd.” The expert tapped his note-book. “I’ve a commission myself, sir, for forty.” Gilead hummed and ha’d a little. “I think it’s preposterous; it’s against all my principles; but--well, I’ll go to forty-five.” “You’d better leave me a margin--take my advice.” “No.” “A pound or two.” “Not a copper farthing.” “You’ll lose it.” “Very well; but I don’t believe I shall.” “Not a shilling over forty-five pounds, then, Mr Balm?” “Not a shilling.” He fancied the thing was a bluff; and in that he wronged both the expert and himself. He really coveted the print grievously; but he hardly doubted that he was safe to secure it. Nevertheless, as time went on, fears began to assail him. Supposing after all, that Desmund were right in his surmise, and that he should come to be outbidden? It would be ridiculous--an insane exaggeration of values, but--