After causing the stranger to describe the marks ofhis lost jewel， the Intelligencer opened a drawer of theoaken cabinet， which has been mentioned as forming apart of the furniture of the room. Here were depositedwhatever articles had been picked up in the streets， untilthe right owners should claim them. It was a strange andheterogeneous collection. Not the least remarkable partof it， was a great number of wedding-rings， each one ofwhich had been riveted upon the finger with holy vows，and all the mystic potency that the most solemn ritescould attain， but had， nevertheless， proved too slipperyfor the wearer’s vigilance. The gold of some was wornthin， betokening the attrition of years of wedlock； others，glittering from the jeweller’s shop， must have been lostwithin the honey-moon. There were ivory tablets， theleaves scribbled over with sentiments that had been thedeepest truths of the writer’s earlier years， but which werenow quite obliter ated from his memory. So scrupulouslywere articles preserved in this depository， that not evenwithered flowers were rejected； white roses， and blushroses， and moss-roses， fit emblems of virgin purity andshamefacedness， which had been lost or flung away，and trampled into the pollution of the streets； locks ofhair—the golden， and the glossy dark—the long tressesof woman and the crisp curls of man-signified that loverswere now and then so heedless of the faith entrusted tothem， as to drop its symbol from the treasure-place of thebosom. Many of these things were imbued with perfumes；and perhaps a sweet scent had departed from the lives oftheir former possessors， ever since they had so wilfully ornegligently lost them. Here were gold pencil-cases， littleruby hearts with golden arrows through them， bosompins，pieces of coin， and small articles of every description，comprising nearly all that have been lost， since a longtime ago. Most of them， doubtless， had a history and ameaning， if there were time to search it out and room totell it. Whoever has missed anything valuable， whetherout of his heart， mind， or pocket， would do well to makeinquiry at the Central Intelligence Office.
And， in the corner of one of the drawers of the oakencabinet， after considerable research， was found a greatpearl， looking like the soul of celestial purity， congealed andpolished.
“There is my jewel！ my very pearl！” cried the stranger，almost beside himself with rapture. “It is mine！ Give itme—this moment！ —or I shall perish！”
“I perceive，” said the Man of Intelligence， examining itmore closely， “that this is the Pearl of Great Price.”
“The very same，” answered the stranger. “Judge， then， ofmy misery at losing it out of my bosom！ Restore it to me！
I must not live without it an instant longer.”
“Pardon me，” rejoined the Intelligencer， calmly. “You askwhat is beyond my duty. This pearl， as you well know， isheld upon a peculiar tenure； and having once let it escapefrom your keeping， you have no greater claim to it—nay，not so great—as any other person. I cannot give it back.”
Nor could the entreaties of the miserable man—whosaw before his eyes the jewel of his life， without thepower to reclaim it—soften the heart of this stern being，impassive to human sympathy， though exercising such anapparent influence over human fortunes. Finally， the loserof the inestimable pearl clutched his hands among his hair，and ran madly forth into the world， which was affrightedat his desperate looks. There passed him on the doorstepa fashionable young gentleman， whose business wasto inquire for a damask rose-bud， the gift of his lady-love，which he had lost out of his button-hole within an hourafter receiving it. So various were the errands of thosewho visited this Central Office， where all human wishesseemed to be made known， and， so far as destiny wouldallow， negotiated to their fulfilment.
The next that entered was a man beyond the middleage， bearing the look of one who knew the world and hisown course in it. He had just alighted from a handsomeprivate carriage， which had orders to wait in the streetwhile its owner transacted his business. This person cameup to the desk with a quick， determined step， and lookedthe Intelligencer in the face with a resolute eye； though， atthe same time， some secret trouble gleamed from it in redand dusky light.
“I have an estate to dispose of，” said he， with a brevitythat seemed characteristic.
“Describe it，” said the Intelligencer.
The applicant proceeded to give the boundaries of hisproperty， its nature， comprising tillage， pasture， woodland，and pleasure-grounds， in ample circuit； together witha mansion-house， in the construction of which it hadbeen his object to realize a castle in the air， hardening itsshadowy walls into granite， and rendering its visionarysplendor perceptible to the awakened eye. Judging fromhis description， it was beautiful enough to vanish like adream， yet substantial enough to endure for centuries. Hespoke， too， of the gorgeous furniture， the refinements ofupholstery， and all the luxurious artifices that combinedto render this a residence where life might flow onwardin a stream of golden days， undisturbed by the ruggednesswhich fate loves to fling into it.
“I am a man of strong will，” said he， in conclusion； “andat my first setting out in life， as a poor， unfriended youth，I resolved to make myself the possessor of such a mansionand estate as this， together with the abundant revenuenecessary to uphold it. I have succeeded to the extent ofmy utmost wish. And this is the estate which I have nowconcluded to dispose of.”
“And your terms？” asked the Intelligencer， after takingdown the particulars with which the stranger had suppliedhim.