"
"I would not undertake to do so, if they are valuable," Pertaub said.
"The prospects of fresh troubles are stronger every day, and the roads
are so closely watched, especially those through the passes, that it
would be running a terrible risk to trust valuables to anyone."
"In that case, Pertaub, we thought you might bury them in the ground
under your house. But first, look at some of the stones, and tell us
what you think of them."
The Hindoo opened Surajah's casket, and undid many of the little
parcels.
"Assuredly they are valuable," he said. "Some of them much more so
than others; but if all are like these that I have opened, they must
be worth at least fifty thousand rupees."
"Now look at this casket, Pertaub."
The Hindoo uttered an exclamation of surprise, as he opened some of
the packets, and, taking out some of the larger gems, he examined them
by the light of his lamp.
"I could not place a value on these," he said at last. "The ladies
must, indeed, have felt that they owed their lives to you. The gems
are a fortune. Doubtless they are the spoils of a score of districts,
and Tippoo must have distributed them lavishly among his wives, or
they could never have made such rich presents.
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