Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/319

 alleged, that his obstinacy has rather decreased of late—it is said he labors more industriously than ever, and delivers his work immediately, though not without making hideous faces, and showing as much irritability as before." De Scuderi, who was extremely anxious that the ornament should come into the hands of the proper owner, thought it would only be requisite to inform the strange professor of rings and bracelets, that no task was required of him, farther than his valuation of certain jewels. To this the Marchioness agreed; Cardillac was sent for, and, as if he had been already on the way, but a short time elapsed when he made his appearance.

As soon as he perceived de Scuderi, he seemed like one struck and confounded by some sudden impression; and forgetting for the moment the rules of good breeding, he made, in the first place, a low obeisance to the poetess before he took any notice of the noble lady of the mansion. The latter then asked him, abruptly, whether the necklace (which lay glittering on the green cover of the card table,) was of his workmanshp [sic]? Cardillac scarcely deigned to cast a single glance at the jewels, but, keeping his eyes fixed on the Marchioness, packed both necklace and bracelets hastily into the box,—and pushed it hastily aside; then, with a ghastly grin on his visage, he said, "In truth, my lady Marchioness, one must have little experience in jewels, who believes even for a moment that these could have come from the hands of any other goldsmith in the world but Rene Cardillac. In short, they are my workmanship." "This is absolutely inexplicable," said the Marchioness. "For whom were these ornaments made?" "For myself alone," answered Cardillac; but perceiving that his auditors listened to him with distrust and suspicion,—"Aye," said he, "your ladyship may think this very strange, but the fact is just what I have stated. Merely for the sake of exemplifying a fine pattern in jewelry, I collected my best stones together, and worked for my own pleasure, more industriously and carefully than I had ever done for other people. Not long ago the jewels which I had made up in this