THE HISTORY OF PAT MALLOY'S DIAMOND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1121, 20 September 1871, Page 3

THE HISTORY OF PAT MALLOY'S DIAMOND.

(From Chambers' Journal.') (Concluded.) " What was the Indian chief like, Pat ?" I asked. " Why, yer honour, he was as loike a Tipperary boy, barrin' the colour, as one pig's loike another. Shure he was as dacent a man as ever I met at arl." The mystery of " Pad," the hitherto inexplicable, was revealed to me now. By the performance with the red sand, an indication of Pad's salient point, his rusty red hair, and not a religious ceremony, was typified. The direction to give Pad dollars, and the disinterested tribute to his goodness, now became intelligible evidences of the truth of his story ; and the only point of doubt remaining was how to circumvent Don Fernando. Whatever was done to that laudable end had need be done at once, before the bird had flown | with his prey. So I came to a determination, and acted upon it forthwith. I went straightway to the magistrate, a civil (not pohte) authority, whose salary a prudent government had fixed at such a. low figure, that to increase it by taking bribes from the suitors to his jurisdiction was evidently expected of him. Perhaps it had been considered that, whatever the amount of his remuneration, he would still have been open to corruption, and its smallness was due merely to a praiseworthy desire to save the public funds. This functionary I burst in upon as he was smoking his cigar in one of the dirtiest rooms possible, and plunging at once into the dirt and the matter which brought me there, I made a judicious appeal to for his interference, supported by compliment, corruption, and intimidation, the three levers by which most readily to move the official mind. At length I was glad to see his first distinct refusal, to interfere between Don Jernando and any one else whomsoever, was shaken; and then I applied the assault afresh until the unfortunate man, who had finished his smoke, and was dying to go to bed, became reduced into such a state of despair that to get rid of me he would have pledged himself to anything. Happily, in that uncultivated region, the fiction long since dissipated in Europe, still prevailed, that one of her Majesty's subjects was a sacred being, whom it was highly dangerous to treat with injustice, or even neglect. I did not fail to work upon this idea by drawing a vivid picture of the British Minister's power, and the reward or disgrace he could insure to the magistrate by requisition to the Brazilian Government. I placed before my hearer's imagination the important service he would render by restoring to an English subject so rich a prize. In my zeal, I even ventured to hint at my own close connection and influence with England's representative (he once presented me with a couple of fingers, and expressed his hope that I should amuse myself "up the country"), before whom, I added, it would be my instant care to lay the whole of the circumstances. It is but just to record

of the magistrate that he had at least so much of the " legal mind " as enabled him to take an exceedingly clear and favourable view of that side of the case which held out the best prospect of advantage to himself. It may also have occurred to him that any liabilities he was under to Don Fernando would be cleared off in a simple and satisfactory manner by shutting his creditor up When I left him, it was with a promise that he would accompany me to the store very early the following morning, and look fully into the case. I did not allow him much waking time to repent of his promise on the" next day; but. short as was the distance to the Jew's, it nearly proved too long for the carrying out of my purpose. The spirited officer of justice began to quake in the most undignified i manner as we approached the potent Jew's ' habitation. But his alarm was causeless; we j had not got up early enough to catch Don I Fernando, who, making his hay and his escape before the sun shone, had carried off, now without the slightest doubt, Pat's diamond, and all the property of his own which he could easily move. The prize should be valuable that made it profitable for him to abandon utterly his store and the large stock of goods which was left in it. No doubt he had watched me to the guard-room overnight, and foreseeing the result, had levanted in the night. Pat the defrauded was released at once. He raved a good deal over his disappointment at first, and insisted upon the feasible idea of catching up his enemy on foot ; but the judge, who was intensely delighted at the event, which relieved him at the same time of a creditor and considerable trouble, having arrived at the conclusion, upon some principle of equity I did not clearly understand, that the store and its remaining contents belonged equally to himself and to Pat, the latter entered into the notion with amazing ardour, and the pair, without the delay of a moment, began their looting, in which congenial occupation I left them and San Isidro at the same time. I wrote out a full and careful account of the whole affair, with a close and accurate description of the Jew ; and I afterwards learned that, on its coming before a member of the government, the police of coast towns had orders to board ships leaving the ports,"and to search narrowly anyone answering to my sketch. Hearing nothing further on the subject, I had almost forgotten the diamond and unlucky Pat, whom, from that day to this, I have never seen. My mind was made up to return to England ; the passage from Rio Janeiro to Liverpool was taken ; and as the steamer sailed in the early morning, I went on board, with my luggage, over-night. When the day broke, I was on deck, to have a parting view of the loveliest scene, I believe, that the world can show — the Bay of Rio. It was a beautiful morning; and, leaning over the aide, I enjoyed to perfection the fresh cool air. The deep blue water, gemmed with sparkling islands, was without a ripple, and a mist clung round the surrounding mountain- tops, concealing, yet heightening, like the robe of a beauty, their loveliness. As I stood, a boat containing a lady passenger came under the ship's quarter, and the mate, with sailor-like politeness, ran down the ladder, to help her on board. She was a very handsome girl, of the "magnificent animal " order of attraction. " Who is the lady ?" I asked of the mate, who had come up again after seeing his charge below. " She is one of the principal dancers at the Alcazar, sir. She is going to Lisbon. It is a rum start for such as her to come with us, though, instead of by the mail boat. Quarter-master, hook on to that boat there !" Another passemger, and who but Don Fernando 1 He had not altered himself in the slightest degree, and there was no possibility of mistaking his bird-of-prey nose, remarkable eyes, and silky beard. I saw a queer look in the remarkable eyes as they fell upon me, but he coolly wished me a " Good morniDg," and professed his pleasure that we were to be fellow-passengers. Without replying, I sought out the captain, who, displaying the noble scorn of his profession at a miserable landsman's presuming to trouble him, said shortly that be was up to his neck in work (which accounted, perhaps, for hi 3 smoking a cigar with his collar off at that moment) ; that it was a matter in which he was not going to interfere ; there were police on board, and if I applied to them, they would, he suppose I, carry out their orders, whatever they were. I am bound to say the police did carry out their orders to the letter. The Jew's baggage consisted only of a portmanteau, and they searched it and him so thoroughly, that I do not believe a dia mond of the size of a needle's point could have escaped them. Excited with the hope of a great find, they prodded knives through the portmanteau's sides, and ripped the lining out of clothes with a sense of duty truly delightful. Even I was compelled unwillingly to confess that if he had stolen the diamond, he had got neither it nor its price, for he had but a small sum of money about him in his possession at that time. Were they going to permit him to leave the country ? I asked. Certainly, they said; why not ? when I myself, the only accuser he had, was leaving, and the whole charge rested only upon the word of a savage Irishman, not forthcoming. Their instructions were but to search, and not to detain the Jew, unless they found the spoil. So I had the pleasure of seeing my enemy grin defiance at me, and of knowing that the police, who put off in their boat, regarded me as a lunatic or a liar, whilst the captain in his soul, objurgated me for the delay I had caused. To my joy, Don Fernando did not appear much the first week of our voyage. There was consolation in the thought that he suf fered from sea-sickness, unless, indeed, he had swallowed the diamond, and might in that unpleasant way regain, not exactly the possession of it, for that would be, as the lawyers say, in him already, but the power

of turning the possession to account. As we n eared the line, however, he began to emerge, usually at night-time, and the looks he favoured me with would have done a devil no inconsiderable credit. One beautiful moonlight night on the line, finding the heat below so great that sleep was out of the question, I left my berth about midnight, and went up into the air. The officer of the watch was dozing in a chair forward of the deck-house, and the poop appeared to be quite deserted, except for the helmsman, who, save that he gave half a turn now and then to the wheel, and the quid in his cheek, might have been part of the deck-fitting. I wore slippers, and was walking noiselessly to the stern, to watch the moonlight glittering on the ship's wake, when from out the dark shadow of one of the boats there came a low, soft laugh. I turned with surprise, and stumbled upon the Jew and the danseuse in close confabulation. Seeing me, the girl left his side, and went hurriedly below. Her companion gave me one of his diabolical glances, took a turn or two up and down the deck, and then followed his charmer. Now, there was nothitfg very extraordinary in the existence of a very cordial understanding between the pair; but it was strange' that up to that time they had studiedly avoided speaking to one another. Neither of them was likely to be particularly careful on the score of propriety; that could not be the motive. Yet here was an evident and confidential intimacy established, and I could not help in some way connecting it with the diamond, the sale of which I was firmly persuaded brought Don Fernaado to Europe as I was that he had cheated Pat Molloy out of it. At Lisbon, I parted, as I hoped, for good from my enemy. The danseuse accompanied him on shore ; and as the boat put off from the side of the ship, the p?*r waved me a malicious ami exul ing farewell, which in the sweetuess of parting I bore with equanimity. In a few days I was revelling in England's unique beef-steaks and beer, and, under those grateful influences, Jew and diamond were banished from ray recollection a second time. They occurred to it again about six months afterwards. A cousin of mine, who was travelling alone in tbe south of Spain, was taken suddenly ill at Cadiz, and a family vote pitched upon me to look after him there. On my arrival he was so much better that the doctor predicted his ability to undertake the journey home in a few days. In this satisfactory expectation, I settled myself in the hotel, and waited. It happened that my watch, which was rather a valuable one, had get out of order, and I was obliged to trust it, much against my will, to the hands of a Cadiz practitioner. I selected one who seemed quite a chatty and conversational person for a Spaniard, and who paid me compliments upon the excellence of my timepiece and my Spanish, with the vivacity of a Frenchman. Would the English senor like to see the great De la Casa diamond ? he asked. I had never heard of it, I replied. Ah, that was excusable in one coming from England, as it had but very lately been brought out, having been purchased by a certain lady of great rank from the distinguished Captain Fernandez for the sum of five thousand English sovereigns. It was now on view at one of the lady of great rank's residences ; three pesetas was the charge for a look, which which would generously be given to the poor of Cadiz. It was a Brazilian diamond of the first water, and as yet was almost unknown in Europe. " Adios, senor," and " Muchas gracias." On the evening of the same day, I had been strolling round the walls of the town, and it was nearly midnight before I reached my hotel. As I entered, a carriage and pair of horses drew up, and a lady and gentleman descended, and came out into the lighted hall. The eternal Don Fernando with the girl again ! They were in full evening costume. The Jew, who recognised me instantly, looked to my mind a more confessed villain iv his gorgeous array than he had ever done behind his counter at San Isidro. He resembled a tiger draped in white ; peaceful and innocent as the covering might be, the fierce head and expression would peep out. His handsome companion, dressed, or rather undressed, in the very latest Parisian fasluoa, made me a mocking reverence. '• Don Fernando," said I, weakly allowing my curiosity to overcome me. " The Captain Fernandez, mister," he replied. '* Well, captain, general, or whatever you like, then, how was it managed ? You can tell me now, you know." He gave his answer in a pitying compassionate tone, as though I were a baby, or— l rather felt the character — a fool. " Ah, why you take so moch the trobblo for nothing ? Why make that the vigilante espoil my new box ?" alluding, I presume, to his confounded portmanteau ; " you know the senora. No ? Ah, well, that she has fine hair, you see, to cover diamond more big than ten times the De la Caso. Bah ! Dam English booby 1" Whether any relationship existed between the pair before Don Fernando's little finesse with the Irishman, I cannot say. Probably, aware that a confederate was necessary in order to take the spoil out of the country, he had chosen an agreeable one, over whom be was sure of his own influence. So the precious stone, once kept religiously by a tribe of wandering Indians, transferred to the crazy pockets of Pat Molloy, whose heart a hundred knives would have been ready to pierce hau the treasure he carried been suspected, brought across the sea in one woman's hair, now sparkles on the bosom of another to enrich but a worthless robber. Poor Pat Molloy has most likely by this time drunk himself to death from his enemy's store. Who would have believed me if I had attempted to set Spanish justice on the Jew ? What credit should I have obtained for my story ? which, though unsupported, and perhaps unrapportable by other testi-

mony, has nevertheless the uncommon merit of truth.