Barry Pain

Name: The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix — VI. Lost Property
Author: Barry Pain

The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (1905)

Summary

“The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix — VI. Lost Property”, published in 1905, is a work by Barry Pain. It explores elements such as cushions, Solway and diamonds.

Quotes from The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (Barry Pain)

Barry Pain, The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (1905)

“ And somewhere, at the bottom of the English Channel, there is a railway carriage cushion containing a packet of valuable diamonds.
Had I gone straight on to Marsh directly after leaving Solway, those diamonds would now have been in my possession, or would have been sold by me to my friend in Brussels. On such small chances do success and failure depend. In my own, as in many more desirable occupations, long and patient work and abilities far beyond the average are impotent against a whim of destiny. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Barry Pain, The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (1905)

“ The story I had told James Barker was perfectly true. I had been on the local line between Lufbridge and Sandys, and I had noticed that the carriages had been recently re-upholstered, and that the rolling stock generally looked much smarter than it had done a year before. It was possible, of course, that the loose cushions in the first-class carriages had been merely re-covered. In that case the diamonds must have already been found. If, on the other hand, the cushions had been sold, there was clearly a chance for me. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Barry Pain, The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (1905)

“ Barker," I said, "that incident shows that theft is not only wicked but in nine cases out of ten foolish as well. You take away a man's diamonds, and an hour later you have to throw them out of a carriage window to save your own skin."
"Begging your pardon, sir, but what's all this about carriage windows? I never threw the diamonds out of the window. I took one of the carriage cushions, cut a slit in the bottom of it, slipped in the diamonds, and sewed the slit up again. I can use a needle and thread as well as any woman. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Barry Pain, The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (1905)

“ Working men and women who deal with the re-covering of cushions and the re-upholstering of railway carriages are not experts in precious stones. The lucky finder would have taken the diamonds at once to the nearest jeweller to find out what they were, and what there value was. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Barry Pain, The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (1905)

“ Mrs Havant and some of her friends were deeply interested in diamonds, and Havant would frequently bring down a few specimens. It happened sometimes when he was entertaining his Jewish friends that a little business would be done, and the diamonds that came down from London in Havant's pocket would go back in the pocket of another dealer. There was a good safe in the gun-room where Havant kept any precious stones that he had brought down with him. James Barker laid his plans with some care, but he made far too much noise in opening the safe. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Barry Pain, The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (1905)

“ I had not got the dealer's name, and had not wished to arouse suspicion unnecessarily by asking for it. So I did not hit on the right man the first time, or the second, or the third, but I got him in the end. And when I reminded him of that lot of stuff out of the railway carriages that he had bought, he swore very heartily. He had paid too much for it, he said.
"And what do you do with that kind of thing?" I asked.
"Destroy the worst of it and make up the rest. Some of the loose cushions I sold just as they were, and a lot of them are still on my hands. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Barry Pain, The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (1905)

“ I said.
"Right," said the dealer, "I take that. I'm not over and above fond of being called a liar. This'll cost you something. If you'll just step into my office, I'll get the book out."
He showed me the book with a note of the transaction in it. He was quite correct, and I handed over my sovereign with a crestfallen air. I went away with the information that I wanted. The man who had bought the cushions was named Solway, and was a proprietor of bathing-machines and pleasure-boats at Hayley-on-Sea. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Barry Pain, The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (1905)

“ You can have them at your own price, if you like. They take up a lot of room, and I should be glad to be quit of them."
I said that I doubted if it would be worth my while, but there could be no harm in looking. ”

Barry Pain

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Quotes from The Memoirs Of Constantine Dix… (Barry Pain)

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