No; upon this man also the Satanic charm has fallen; he must have the stone for himself.
At the risk of murder, he drugs the young priest and seizes the prey.
And now, by an accident which is not important to my moral, the jewel passes out of his custody into that of another, who, terrified at what he sees, gives it into the keeping of a man in high station and above reproach.
"The officer's name is Thomas Vandeleur," continued Florizel.
"The stone is called the Rajah's Diamond.
And" - suddenly opening his hand - "you behold it here before your eyes."
The officer started back with a cry.
"We have spoken of corruption," said the Prince.
"To me this nugget of bright crystal is as loathsome as though it were crawling with the worms of death; it is as shocking as though it were compacted out of innocent blood.
I see it here in my hand, and I know it is shining with hell-fire.
I have told you but a hundredth part of its story; what passed in former ages, to what crimes and treacheries it incited men of yore, the imagination trembles to conceive; for years and years it has faithfully served the powers of hell; enough, I say, of blood, enough of disgrace, enough of broken lives and friendships; all things come to an end, the evil like the good; pestilence as well as beautiful music; and as for this diamond, God forgive me if I do wrong, but its empire ends tonight."
The Prince made a sudden movement with his hand, and the jewel, describing an arc of light, dived with a splash into the flowing river.
"Amen," said Florizel with gravity.
"I have slain a cockatrice!"
"God pardon me!" cried the detective.
"What have you done?
I am a ruined man."
"I think," returned the Prince with a smile, "that many well-to-do people in this city might envy you your ruin."
"Alas! your Highness!" said the officer, "and you corrupt me after all?"
"It seems there was no help for it," replied Florizel.
"And now let us go forward to the Prefecture."
Not long after, the marriage of Francis Scrymgeour and Miss Vandeleur was celebrated in great privacy; and the Prince acted on that occasion as groomsman.
The two Vandeleurs surprised some rumour of what had happened to the diamond; and their vast diving operations on the River Seine are the wonder and amusement of the idle.
It is true that through some miscalculation they have chosen the wrong branch of the river.
As for the Prince, that sublime person, having now served his turn, may go, along with the ARABIAN AUTHOR, topsy-turvy into space.
But if the reader insists on more specific information, I am happy to say that a recent revolution hurled him from the throne of Bohemia, in consequence of his continued absence and edifying neglect of public business; and that his Highness now keeps a cigar store in Rupert Street, much frequented by other foreign refugees.
I go there from time to time to smoke and have a chat, and find him as great a creature as in the days of his prosperity; he has an Olympian air behind the counter; and although a sedentary life is beginning to tell upon his waistcoat, he is probably, take him for all in all, the handsomest tobacconist in London.