Mr.Latham swung around in his chair and stared at him intently.
"It's the most perfect blue-white I've ever seen," the expert announced at last.

"I dare say it's the most perfect in the world." Mr.Latham arose suddenly and strode over to Mr.Czenki, who was twisting the jewel in his fingers, singling out, dissecting, studying the colorful flashes, measuring the facets with practised eyes, weighing it on his finger-tips, seeking a possible flaw.
"The cutting is very fine," the expert went on.

"Of course I would have to use instruments to tell me if it is mathematically correct; and the weight, I imagine, is--is about six carats, perhaps a fraction more." "What's it worth ?" asked Mr.Latham.

"Approximately, I mean ?" "We know the color is perfect," explained Mr.Czenki precisely.

"If, in addition, the cutting is perfect, and the depth is right, and the weight is six carats or a fraction more, it's worth--in other words, if that is the most perfect specimen in existence, as it seems to be, it's worth whatever you might choose to demand for it--twenty, twenty-five, thirty thousand dollars.