It looked solid, but Phadrig made a swift motion with his fingers, and one half of it slid off the other.

He held it towards his visitor, and said: "What do you think of that as a specimen of ancient art, Mr Josephus ?" The Jew looked.

The inside of the box seemed filled with green light tinted with yellow.

Out of the midst of it began to shine a deeper green light which crystallised into the most glorious emerald that he had ever even dreamt of.

It was fully an inch square, flawless, and of perfect colour.