Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/313

 made of the rarest jewels, finely set in gold, and a pair of bracelets of the same description!

She took out the necklace, admiring its fine workmanship, while Martiniere, having gained courage, was ogling the rich bracelets, and insisting that the proud Duchess de Montespan herself did not possess such ornaments. "But what means this?" said de Scuderi, perceiving a small nicely-folded billet among the jewels. "What has this letter to say?" She justly expected to find here some explanation of the mystery; but no sooner had she perused the billet, than she let it drop, clasped her hands in consternation, and then, almost fainting, sank back into her chair. "Oh, this insult!" cried she; "must the reproach be reserved for me in my old age, of having behaved with thoughtless levity, like a young silly girl? Good Heaven! Are words thrown out in jest capable of such frightful interpretation? And am I, who, from childhood, up to the present hour, have been constant in all the exercises of devotion, to be looked upon as almost an accomplice in this devilish conspiracy?"

De Scuderi now held her handkerchief to her eyes, and even sobbed so violently, that Martiniere and Baptiste, in their anxiety and terror, were quite confounded, and knew not what to do. The waiting-maid at length took up the fatal billet, at the commencement of which was written these words:

The rest was as follows. "Have the goodness, Mademoiselle, to accept, from some unknown friends, the accompanying jewels. Of late, we had fallen into great danger from an intolerable persecution, though our only crime is, that, exercising the natural rights of the strong over the weak, we appropriate to ourselves treasures that would otherwise be unworthily squandered;—but, by your wit and talents, we have been rescued from the fate that awaited us. As a proof of our respect and gratitude, we have sent you this necklace, and the accompanying ornaments, which, however unworthy