“And do it with pleasure. The set does not seem to be to your taste?”
“I am not a judge of such things.”
“Know then that those pearls are worth alone some fifty thousand livres.”
“It is strange,” said the girl, clasping her hands, “that his Majesty should make me such a present: only think!”
“I do not understand you, miss!” said Taverney in a dry tone.
“Everybody will be astounded if I wear such jewelry.”
“Jewels are made to astound the world. Why in your case?” said he in the same tone, with a cold and overbearing air which made her wince.
“A scruple.”
“This is strange, to hear you raise scruples where I do not see any. It takes these candid girls to recognize evil and see the snake in the grass though so well hidden that no one else perceives it. Long live the maiden of sixteen who makes old grenadiers like me blush!”
Hiding her confusion in her pearly hands, Andrea moaned: