The painter managed to capture the gleam in her eyes, on the cusp of victory. Near the chessboard was a bunch of papers that seemed to be financial documents, and it could be assumed the game was not for the curiosity of the onlookers gathered, but for the documents. The bystanders were exclusively men, and the occasion was some dinner party. Berg was almost spellbound by the picture, and said almost aloud, “I’d give anything in the world just to play a game of chess with this stunningly beautiful creature.”
At that moment, a manager of the shop was passing by, and Berg pulled him by his sleeve nervously and demanded, “How much is this picture? I am buying it now.”
“Sorry, but this picture isn’t for sale,” the manager replied coldly. “What do you mean, not for sale? Then why is it on the display?”
“You are not the first person in our antique shop who would like to see this work of art in a collection. This picture is not for sale. Let me explain: The picture is our charm. It has been here since we started this business. As long as we have it, we believe our family business will only thrive. So, no,” the manager said in a cool tone.
“Who started your business? I want to see him and have a talk,” Berg almost screamed, as a man not accustomed to the word “no”.
“To see her,” the manager corrected, and pointed to the lady in the picture. “Baroness von N is the founder of our antique trading house.”
“Now I see,” Berg said.
“This is the only image of her. The artist is unknown.” With that, the manager moved on.
Berg left the shop in deep thought. For the rest of the night, the picture haunted his mind. The next morning he came back to the shop, still trying to persuade the manager, this time in his office.
“Look, if I can’t buy this painting, can it be rented for a certain period of time? For the period it’s leased, the picture will be insured. I guarantee one hundred percent prepayment. You are a businessman, and I offer the most preferential terms. I believe nothing will happen to your family business if this ‘charm’ is out of your respected shop. Give me a week, or a month. Unlike what you think, the painting’s absence will bring you only a good profit. What do you say to my proposal?”