The Argosy — page 305: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

286 The Missing Rubies. household. ‘That night I crept into his room, took his keys, opened his strong box, and possessed myself of the necklace. Some days elapsed before the loss was discovered ; and from first to last, no one seemed to have any suspicion of me.” ‘Are you sure that the Countess did not suspect you ?” “No; I am not sure. ‘The Countess was a wonderfully crafty woman, Mr. Vordenberg. Her brother and sisters paid her three thousand pounds for the missing necklace !” ‘““T agree with you,” said Vordenberg, with a smile. ‘ The Countess Gradizoff must be a wonderfully crafty woman ! ” “Soon afterwards,” Pauline continued, ‘‘I took a tender farewell of my pupil and her mother. ‘The Countess let me depart with her blessing. I came to London; and the first thing I did was to take the necklace to a goldsmith who bought second-hand jewels. Judge how I was punished for what I had done! The famous ruby necklace was not made of rubies, after all, but only of garnets ; and its value was contemptibly mean! I did not part with it; I came away from the shop in disgust.” ‘You did not part with it?” Vordenberg repeated. “No. You are my friend; I will put it into your hands this very night. See, you shall have it in another moment.” She started up, and going to the brass-bound desk, unlocked it. Then, returning to Vordenberg’s side, she laid in his hands a necklace of red stones that glittered in the lamp-light. It had a curious old flat clasp of yellow gold. “Paulina,” he said quietly, ‘‘ will you repeat your story in the presence of the Countess Gradizoff ? ” “Yes,” she returned, after a moment’s consideration. ‘‘I am not afraid she will send me to prison. I have friends in St. Petersburg whom she would scarcely care to offend. And they would not be well pleased if she were to deal harshly with me.” ‘IT do not think she is likely to deal harshly with you. ‘There is a good deal more to be told of the necklace-story. It is not finished yet. Be assured, Paulina, that you will be all the better and happier for the confession you have made. Shall I leave you now? You have borne as much as it is possible for you to bear, and you need rest.” As he looked at her face, he noticed how changed it was. A few terrible minutes had done the work of years. Madame Valerot was one of those women who can defy time, when time comes and goes without bringing them any strong emo- tion. The oft-told tale of the woman whose hair turned white in a single night is no fable, as we know; and the scene in Stavieski’s room had hurried Pauline from youth to middle age. She would never be young again. The excitement that had sustained her while she made her confession was gone. As she listened to Vordenberg’s retreating COMIC OOOKS. CO