244 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



counter. " I wish to learn the price of a parure to be made in exact 

 imitation of this," said she, " that is to say, if you can imitate the work- 

 manship with sufficient precision for the distinction never to be ob- 

 served." Bourguignon examined the articles attentively, named his 

 price, and gave the most unequivocal promise that the parure should 

 be an exact counterpart of the one before him. The lady insisted 

 again. She was urgent overmuch, as is the case with the fair sex in 

 general. Was he sure the imitation would be perfect ? Had he ob- 

 served the beauty and purity of these stones ? Could he imitate the 

 peculiar manner in which they were cut ? &c. " Soyez tranquille, 

 madame,"' replied Bourguignon ; " the same workman shall have the 

 job, and you may rely upon having an exact counterpart of his former 

 work." The lady opened her eyes in astonishment and trepidation, 

 and M. Bourguignon, with unconscious serenity, added, by way of re- 

 assuring her, " I will attend to the order myself, as I did when I re- 

 ceived the commands of Milor , who ordered this very^arwre, I 



think, last February ; " and, with the greatest unconcern, he proceed- 

 ed to search his ledger, to ascertain which of the workmen executed 

 it, and what the date of its delivery. Meanwhile the lady had sunk 



down in a complete fainting fit. Mitor , whom Bourguignon had 



named, was her own treacherous lord and master, who had forestalled 

 her, by exchanging Rundell and Bridge's goodly work against 

 Bourguignon's deceptive counterfeit ; no doubt to liquidate his obli- 

 gations on the turf. " But the worst of all," adds the worthy artist, who 

 recounts the scene with infinite humor, " was the utter fury into which 

 Miledi fell, when she recovered from her swoon, reproaching me for 

 having aided her husband in deceiving her; for she herself had never 

 discovered the difference between the false and the real, although the 

 diamonds made by Rundell and Bridge had been in her possession 

 ever since her marriage, and had been worn by her upon every state 

 occasion. 



Not only, however, is domestic deception carried on by means of 

 M. Bourguignon's artistic skill, but he has often been called upon to 

 lend his aid to diplomatic craft likewise. Numberless are the snuff- 

 boxes, " adorned with valuable diamonds," which issue from his atelier 

 in secret, as the reward of public service, or skilful negotiation ; in- 

 numerable the portraits, " set in brilliants," which have been mounted 

 there, to gladden the hearts of charge-d'affaires, attaches and vice- 

 consuls. The great Mehemet Ali, like all great men who, when they 

 commit little actions, always do so on a great scale, may be said to be 

 the first who ever introduced the bright delusions of M. Bourguignon 

 to the unconscious acquaintance of the children of that prophet, "who 

 suffered no deceivers to live." 



The wily old Mussulman, who knew the world too well not to be 

 conscious of the value of an appearance of profusion on certain occa- 

 sions, had announced that every pacha who came to the seat of gov- 

 ernment, to swear allegiance to his power, would return to his province 

 laden with presents of jewels for his wives. It may readily be imag- 

 ined that, under such conditions, the duty became a pleasure, and 



