The Orange-Yellow Diamond Part 41

"You think that?" responded Melky, brightening suspiciously. "Oh, Mrs.

Goldmark, your words is like wine--all my life I been wishing some beautiful woman would say them things to me! Now I feel like I was two foot taller, Mrs. Goldmark! But I don't want no medals--not me. Mr.

Levendale and Mr. Purvis, they came to me and say they must give me a reward--handsome reward, you understand, for getting back their goods.

So I say no--I won't have nothing for myself--nothing. But, I say, just so--there is one that should be rewarded. Mrs. Goldmark!--do you know what? I think of you when I say that!"

Mrs. Goldmark uttered a feeble scream, clasped her hands, and stared at Melky out of her melting eyes.

"Me?" she exclaimed. "Why--I ain't done nothing, Mr. Rubinstein!"

"Listen to me," persisted Melky. "What I says to Mr. Levendale is this here--if Mrs. Goldmark hadn't had her eating establishment, and if Mr.

Purvis hadn't gone into it to eat a chop and to drop his platinum solitaire on the table, and if Mrs. Goldmark hadn't taken care of that platinum solitaire, and if things hadn't sprung from it--eh, what then, I should like to know? So Mrs. Goldmark is ent.i.tled to whatever little present there is!--that's how I put it, Mrs. Goldmark. And Mr.

Levendale and Mr. Purvis, they agreed with me--and oh, Mrs. Goldmark, ain't you going to be nice and let me put this round your beautiful neck?"

Mrs. Goldmark screamed again as Melky produced a diamond necklace, lying in a blue velvet bed in a fine morocco case. The glitter of the diamonds turned both beholders hoa.r.s.e with emotion.

"Do you know what, Mrs. Goldmark!" whispered Melky. "It cost a thousand guineas--and no error! Now you bend your lovely head, and I puts it on you--oh, ain't you more beautiful than the Queen of Sheba! And ain't you Melky's queen, Mrs. Goldmark--say you was!"

"Lor', Mr. Rubinstein!" said Mrs. Goldmark, coyly. "It's as if you was proposing to me!"

"Why, ain't I?" exclaimed Melky, gathering courage. "Don't you see I'm in all my best clothes? Ain't it nothing but weddings, just now?

There's Mr. Lauriston a-going to marry Zillah, and Mr. Purdie's a-fixing it up with Levendale's governess, and--oh, Mrs. Goldmark, ain't I worshipped you every time I come to eat my dinner in your eating house? Ain't you the loveliest woman in all Paddington. Say the word, Mrs. Goldmark--don't you see I'm like as if I was that hungry I could eat you?"

Then Mrs. Goldmark said the word--and presently escaped from Melky's embrace to look at herself and her necklace in the mirror.

THE END