human
sale of antiques, and Eleanor said:
gpt
That is why everything brought such awfully high prices. The articles must have had a set price on them to begin with, and when Mr. Van Styne offered a thing, the dealer was there to run it to a figure beyond the given price on the books. I am surprised that the old auctioneer would do such a thing.
human
I don't believe he knew the sale was what we call 'padded'; for he seems too conscientious a man to lend himself to such a deception,
gpt
If he was just hired to sell the stuff, regardless of how it got out to Parsippany, and told to follow book-orders, he had no choice, had he?
human
He looks such an honest old fellow, I don't believe he even knew the goods came from a New York dealer. Just because he _is_ so honest, is one reason why people who knew him will listen to his advice and for the same reason a clever New York dealer would hire him. I wouldn't be surprised, if you girls hear from him, some day, to the effect that he is shocked to learn that this sale was not on the level as far as the yarn went,
gpt
Well, I'd feel better if he did. I really feel hurt, now, to think he might be as tricky as that other dealer,
human
But it would not be called 'tricky,' Polly, in clever business circles,
gpt
Maybe not, but to me it looks a lot like selling goods under false representations. I'd rather not sell anything than have to sell that way.
human
When you come right down to 'brass tacks' and study out the whole scheme of things, Polly, we might be accused of tricky works, too,
gpt
What do you mean?
human
Well, when you think of how we got that pair of old candle-sticks in exchange for a brass lamp! We had no lamp to exchange, but Mrs. Fabian rushed off to a store and got one. Then there were those old pictures at Van Styne's. We were afraid he'd suspect them of being valuable, so we dusted them well again, as they had been originally, and placed them with two others to make a 'job lot' of them, to hide the facts about them.
gpt
But, remonstrated Polly,
human
Polly is right, there, Nolla, added Mrs. Fabian.
gpt
I do not see a trick in giving a person exactly what they ask for a thing--whether they realize the true value of it, or not. That is their affair. In Law, the Judge says there is no excuse or cause, for mitigating a sentence because the prisoner claims he was ignorant of consequences of a deed. So it is in other lines: Ignorance can never claim excuse from consequences--whether it be a sale of a candle-stick or a piece of old land that turns out to have gold on it.
human
Then I should say, ignorance on the part of the buyers at this vendue, exonerates the dealer from all blame,
gpt
Legally it does, but we were thinking of the moral,