Madame held out a key, which had been concealed in her bosom, weeping bitterly all the time.
Jane opened the box, pushed aside the gold with her hand, and took out the tarnished jewel-case.
“I will not rob you, these are mine,” she said, thrusting the case into her bosom; “and this,” she continued, taking out a slip of paper; “this belongs to one we have both wronged. Take your money, I have got all that is mine!”
“Give me the gold—here, here, on the bed. Give it up, my gold! my gold!”
The old creature forgot even the pangs of hunger, in the sudden relief produced by the words of her enemy. She grasped out handsful of the gold, and hugging it between her thin palms, kissed it eagerly before she would thrust it back to the box again. A moment before she had thought it all lost, now she was laughing hysterically, and shedding feeble tears over what had been saved.
“Here is your supper!” said Jane, drawing the broken chair forward, and holding up the plate of food; “here is your supper!”
The gold dropped from her shrivelled hands. For one moment hunger grew strong over avarice; she seized the offered food with one hand, and directly began groping after the gold with the other.
While she was thus employed, Jane Kelly left the room.
CHAPTER LXIV.
THE BROTHERS CONSULT AGAIN.
The two brothers sat together in Louis De Marke’s room. Both seemed anxious and thoughtful. George had a look of habitual sadness upon his face; but Louis was like one who struggles against fate without the resolution to brave it.