enced. They will get them cut and sell
them for you at the highest price. They are, moreover, one of the richest
houses in Amsterdam, trustworthy without limit. What do you say?"

"Yes, I will act on your advice, and consign these stones to your friends
for sale at Amsterdam, or elsewhere, as they may think best. And be good
enough to ask them to advise me as to the investment of the proceeds."

"They will do that with pleasure, mine friend, and having financial
relations with every monetary centre in Europe they command the best
information. And now we must count and weigh these stones carefully, and I
shall give you a receipt in proper form. They must be shipped in three or
four parcels so as to divide the risk, and I will write to Goldberg & Van
Voorst to take out open policies 'by ship or ships'--for how much shall we
say?"

"That I must leave to you, Mr. Van Voorst."

"Then I will say two million dollars--better make it too much than too
little--and two millions may not be too much. I do not profess to be an
expert, and, as likely as not, my estimate is very wide of the mark."

After the diamonds had been counted and weighed, and a receipt written
out, in duplicate and in two languages, I informed Mr. Van Voorst of my
intention to visit Caracas and asked whether things were pretty quiet
there.

"At Caracas itself, yes. But in the interior they are fighting, as usual.
The curse of Spanish rule has been succeeded by the still greater curse of
chronic revolution."

"But foreigners are admitted, I suppose? I run no risk of being clapped in
prison as I was last time?"

"Not the least. You can go and come as you please. You don't even require
a passport. The Spaniards, who were once so hated, are now almost popular.
I hear that several Spanish officers, who served in the royal army during
the war, are now at Caracas, and have offered their swords to the
government for the suppression of the present rebellion. Do you intend to
stay long in Venezuela?"

"I think not. In any case I shall see you before I leave for Europe. Much
depends on whether I find my friend Carmen alive."

"Carmen, Carmen! I seem to know the name. Is he a general?"

"Scarcely, I should think. He was only a _teniente_ of guerillas when we
parted some ten years ago."

"They are all generals now, my dear sir, and as plentiful as frogs in my
native land. If you are ever in doubt as to the rank of a Venezolano, you
are always safe in addressin