"So," he half sighed, half snorted, "so----"
Then he touched a spring in the wall and slowly the panelling slid open,
and behind it were the steel safes, five, no, six of them, all of
burnished steel. He twisted a key; unlocked one; then another. Each was
lined with a pad of deep crimson velvet; in each lay jewels--bracelets
Marlboro Red,
necklaces, rings
Marlboro Cigarettes, tiaras, ducal coronets; loose stones in glass shells;
rubies, emeralds, pearls, diamonds. All safe, shining, cool, yet
burning
Cheap Newports, eternally, with their own compressed light.