I made him a present of a "fine violin" and "best bow," which together cost me three-and-sixpence.
"How much for the case?"
The fiddle had been reclining on the lid of an ordinary baize-lined wooden case.
"Shilling," said the lady.
It did not occur to me that this was dear. The lady, however, seemed to suppose that my temporary silence conveyed a hint that it was. Because, presently, she observed—
"I won't charge you anything for the case."
"You will let me have the violin, the bow, and the case for three-and-sixpence?"
"Yes," said the lady.
I struck the bargain. As I bore away the prize it crossed my mind that there was something perhaps a little remarkable about that violin. A suspicion, say, of a receiver and a thief. One must purchase violins, bows, and cases at a very low price to be enabled to sell them at a profit for three-and-sixpence. My morality may have been lax, but I told myself that that was the lady's affair, not mine.
Ernest came to dinner that night.
"I have been buying you a present," I remarked as he came in.
He looked at me and laughed. I don't know if he imagined that my words contained a joke.
"A present? What sort of present?"
"A violin."
He glanced at the case upon the table.
"A violin! I say, uncle, I hope you haven't"
"Been making a fool of yourself," he was on the point of saying, but he wisely stopped in time.
