"But even while we were talking of the goodness of Providence in furnishing such a convenient sort of food, a shadow crossed our path, that startled us both. It was a man with a sallow complexion, bulging brow and piercing eyes. He was hurrying on at a wild and rapid pace but as he observed us he stopped stone still and glared at us--or rather at my pearl brooch and ring--glancing from one to the other with a greedy look that frightened me for I had read of people being robbed of jewels in the streets of Paris in broad daylight. "'Oh! he's not dangerous,' laughed the guide. 'He's one of those scientific wretches who is on the watchout for pearl oysters. He goes prowling around the oyster beds and markets in search of them. He was looking at your pearls to see if they had a _perfect skin_ and a _fine orient_.' "'I see he is interested in oysters as pearl producers instead of food products,' said thy father. "'He has curious ideas about pearls,' said the guide. 'He says they are the product of disease in the animal--that the disease is contagious and he is hard at work trying to spread the contagion!' "'Spreading contagion among oysters! What a work for a sane man,' said thy father. 'How does he manage the business?' "'He takes the oysters that are afflicted with the pearl disease and puts them in the bed with those that are not afflicted and keeps them there until they catch the disease. He says it is as easy to spread as the small pox.' "O how horrid! I cried. How satanic! To think of going to work deliberately to introduce disease and contagion, even among the lower forms of life! And he does all this, not to benefit the hungry poor but to hang more and more pearls around the necks of the greedy rich! "Thy father laughed; but it was no laughing matter for me. I cried over my wedding pearls that night and resolved to lock them up out of my sight as soon as I returned home. "The next day I was strengthened in my resolution by meeting with a pearl diver. The poor man was worn out before his time by this dreadful business. He sat day after day by the sea looking out upon its sparkling surface and dreaming and talking of the perils he had encountered down below in its green gloom--of the hideous armor he wore when he went forth to war with its savage army of sharks and devil-fishes, in order to win pearls for the Queens of the world and the queens of men's hearts. "Will you show us your awful armor? I asked. "'Certainly, madam, and get my son to trick me out in it, though I've never worn it since the day that the shark cut off my air pipe and the terrible pressure blew out my eye balls and ear drums to the bursting point.' "O don't put the horrid thing on, I pleaded, only show it to us.