The auctioneer's attempts to describe correctly the wares he offered were met with mingled suspicion and disbelief.

The one or two articles which really had the appearance of being genuine, and over which he hesitated, fetched enormous prices, and all the time his eager clients eyed him suspiciously.

No one trusted him, and yet it was obvious that if he had advertised a sale every day, the room would have been packed.

Burton watched the proceedings with the utmost interest.
Once or twice people who recognized him came up and asked him questions, to which, however, he was able to return no satisfactory reply.

At one o'clock precisely, the auctioneer, with a little sigh of relief, announced a postponement.