Page:Delight - de la Roche - 1926.djvu/58

 On the satin lining, a pair of long earrings lay, slender crescent moons. From the tip of each hung suspended a twinkling green star.

"For you," repeated the gypsy. "I not show dose odders. Dey are de earth, you de star, de moon, booti-ful. You buy?"

"How much?"

"Seex dollar. I gif you for five."

"Oh, but I haven't five. I'm newly come over from England, and I haven't earned my first month's wage yet."

The gypsy laughed and shrugged her shawled shoulders.

"Ah, you get de money. Dat easy. All de men love you in dese, and de women, dey jealous. See—green, de colour of jealous." She touched the winking green stars. The tip of her tongue showed between her teeth.

Delight's heart danced out to the earrings. They made her feel as her Granny's apple-green tea-set made her feel—good, pure, almost religious. It was funny but it was so. She couldn't account for it. . . . But the five dollars! She had only a dollar and fifteen cents in her little red purse upstairs. She stood perplexed, filled with longing. "There's no use, I can't," she said, at last, and put them from her towards the gypsy. She only smiled and shook her head.

"You keep dose for tonight," she said. "I stop here in town. I call tomorrow for money. You get it. Easy get—for you."

The others were returning to the scullery with their money. Mrs. Jessop was looking annoyed at the waste of time. Like one powerless in a dream, Delight pushed the box into the front of her blouse.

"Ain't you going to buy anything, Delight?" asked Pearl.

Delight shook her head.