although it had been refronted with a horrible stucco to suit modern
tastes。 The oak staircase was good though narrow； and led to numerous
small rooms upon two floors above； some of which rooms were panelled
and had oak beams； now whitewashed like the panellingat least they
had once been whitewashed； probably in the last generation。
These rooms were literally crammed with every sort of old furniture；
most of it decrepit； though for many of the articles dealers would
have given a good price。 But at dealers Mr。 Potts drew the line； not
one of them had ever set a foot upon that oaken stair。 To the attics
the place was filled with this furniture and other articles such as
books； china； samplers with the glass broken； and I know not what
besides； piled in heaps upon the floor。 Indeed where Mr。 Potts slept
was a mystery； either it must have been under the counter in his shop；
or perhaps at nights he inhabited a worm…eaten Jacobean bedstead which
stood in an attic； for I observed a kind of pathway to it running
through a number of legless chairs； also some dirty blankets between
the moth…riddled curtains。
Not far from this bedstead； propped in an intoxicated way against the
sloping wall of the old house； stood the clock which I desired。 It was
one of the first 〃regulator〃 clocks with a wooden pendulum； used by
the maker himself to check the time…keeping of all his other clocks；
and enclosed in a chaste and perfect mahogany case of the very best
style of its period。 So beautiful was it； indeed； that it had been an
instance of 〃love at first sight〃 between us； and although there was
an estrangement on the matter of settlements； or in other words over
the question of price； now I felt that never more could that clock and
I be parted。
So I agreed to give old Potts the ？0 or； to be accurate； ？8 14s。
which he asked on the 10 per cent。 rise principle； thankful in my
heart that he had not made it more； and prepared to go。 As I turned；
however； my eye fell upon a large chest of the almost indestructible
yellow cypress wood of which were made； it is said； the doors of St。
Peter's at Rome that stood for eight hundred years and； for aught I
know； are still standing； as good as on the day when they were put up。
〃Marriage coffer；〃 said Potts； answering my unspoken question。
〃Italian； about 1600？〃 I suggested。
〃May be so； or perhaps Dutch made by Italian artists； but older than
that； for somebody has burnt 1597 on the lid with a hot iron。 Not for
sale； not for sale at all； much too good to sell。 Just you look inside
it； the old key is tied to the spring lock。 Never saw such poker…work
in my life。 Gods and goddesses and I don't know what； and Venus
sitting in the middle in a wreath of flowers with nothing on； and
holding two hearts in her hands； which shows that it was a marriage
chest。 Once it was full of some bride's outfit； sheets and linen and
clothes； and God knows what。 I wonder where she has got to to…day。
Some place where the moth don't eat clothes； I hope。 Bought it at the
break…up of an ancient family who fled to Norfolk on the revocation of
the Edict of NantesHuguenot； of course。 Years ago； years ago！
Haven't looked into it for many years； indeed； but think there's
nothing there but rubbish now。〃
Thus he mumbled on while he found and untied the old key。 The spring
lock had grown stiff from disuse and want of oil； but at length it
turned and reopened the chest revealing the poker…work glories on the
inner side of the lid and elsewhere。 Glories they were indeed； never
had I seen such artistry of the sort。
〃Can't see it properly；〃 muttered Potts； 〃windows want washing；
haven't been done since my wife died； and that's twenty years ago。
Miss her very much； of course； but thank God there's no spring…
cleaning now。 The things I've seen broken in spring…cleaning！ yes； and
lost； too。 It was after one of them that I told my wife that now I
understood why the Mahomedans declare that women have no souls。 When
she came to understand what I meant； which it took her a long time to
do； we had a row； a regular row； and she threw a Dresden figure at my
head。 Luckily I caught it； having been a cricketer when young。 Well；
she's gone now； and no doubt heaven's a tidier place than it used to
bethat is； if they will stand her rummagings there； which I doubt。
Look at that Venus； ain't she a beauty？ Might have been done by Titian
when his paints ran out； and he had to take to a hot iron to express
his art。 What； you can't see her well？ Wait a bit and I'll get a
lantern。 Can't have a naked candle herethings too valuable； no money
could buy them again。 My wife and I had another row about naked
candles； or it may have been a paraffin lamp。 You sit in that old
prayer…stool and look at the work。〃
Off he went crawling down the dusky stairs and leaving me wondering
what Mrs。 Potts； of whom now I heard for the first time； could have
been like。 An aggravating woman； I felt sure； for upon whatever points
men differ； as to 〃spring…cleaning〃 they are all of one mind。 No doubt
he was better without her； for what did that dried…up old artist want
with a wife？
Dismissing Mrs。 Potts from my mind； which； to tell the truth； seemed
to have no room for her shadowy and hypothetical entity； I fell to
examining the chest。 Oh！ it was lovely。 In two minutes the clock was
deposed and that chest became the sultana in my seraglio of beauteous
things。 The clock had only been the light love of an hour。 Here was
the eternal queen； that is； unless there existed a still better chest
somewhere else； and I should happen to find it。 Meanwhile； whatever
price that old slave…dealer Potts wanted for it； must be paid to him
even if I had to overdraw my somewhat slender account。 Seraglios； of
whatever sort； it must be remembered； are expensive luxuries of the
rich indeed； though； if of antiques； they can be sold again； which
cannot be said of the human kind for who wants to buy a lot of antique
frumps？
There were plenty of things in the chest； such as some odds and ends
of tapestry and old clothes of a Queen Anne character； put here； no
doubt； for preservation； as moth does not like this cypress wood。 Also
there were some books and a mysterious bundle tied up in a curious
shawl with stripes of colour running through it。 That bundle excited
me； and I drew the fringes of the shawl apart and looked in。 So far as
I could see it contained another dress of rich colours； also a thick
packet of what looked like parchment； badly prepared and much rotted
upon one side as though by damp； which parchment appeared to be
covered with faint black…letter writing； done by some careless scribe
with poor ink that had faded very much。 There were other things； too；
within the shawl； such as a box made of some red foreign wood； but I
had not time to investigate further for just then I heard old Potts's
foot upon the stair； and thought it best to replace the bundle。 He
arrived with the lantern and by its light we examined the chest and
the poker work。
〃Very nice；〃 I said； 〃very nice； though a good deal knocked about。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 he replied with sarcasm； 〃I suppose you'd like to see it
neat and new after four hundred years of wear； and if so； I think I
can tell you where you can get one to your liking。 I made the designs
for it myself five years ago for a fellow who wanted to learn how to
manufacture antiques。 He's in quod now and his antiques are for sale
cheap。 I helped to put him there to get him out of the way as a danger
to Society。〃
〃What's the price？〃 I asked with airy detachment。
〃Haven't I told you it ain't for sale。 Wait till I'm dead and come and
buy it at my auction。 No； you won't； though； for it's going somewhere
else。〃
I made no answer but continued my examination while Potts took his
seat on the prayer…stool and seemed to go off into one of his fits of
abstraction。
〃Well；〃 I said at length when decency told me that I could remain no
longer； 〃if you won't sell it's no use my looking。 No doubt you want
to keep it for a richer man； and of course you are quite right。 Will
you arrange with the carrier about sending the clock； Mr。 Potts； and I
will let you have a cheque。 Now I must be off； as I've ten miles to
ride and it will be dark in an hour。〃
〃Stop where you are；〃 said Potts in a hollow voice。 〃What's a ride in
the dark compared with a matter like this； even if you haven't a lamp
and get hauled before your own bench？ Stop where you are； I'm
listening to something。〃
So I stopped and began to fill my pipe。
〃Put that pipe away；〃 said Potts； coming out of his reverie； 〃pipes
mean matches； no matches here。〃
I obeyed； and he went on thinking till at last what between the chest
and the worm…eaten Jacobean bed and old Potts on the prayer…stool； I
began to feel as if I were being mesmerized。 At length he rose and
said in the same hollow voice：
〃Young man； you may have that chest； and the price is ？0。 Now for
heaven's sake don't offer me ？0； or it will be ？00 before you leave
this room。〃
〃With the contents？〃 I said casually。
〃Yes； with the contents。 It's the contents I'm told you are to have。〃
〃Look here； Potts；〃 I said； exasperated； 〃what th