The old woman picked up the key suspiciously, opened the box and peered in.
"Great heavens!" she cried in amazement, dazzled by the glittering contents. Then plunging her hand among the shining pieces, she tossed them about, jingling them together and allowing them to slip through her fingers in a golden shower, muttering covetously:
"Ah! what gold! what gold!—all good and sound, too!—Heavens! what beautiful pieces! What a big sum they must make!"
Turning the box over, she gathered the coins into a dazzling pile and added with a sigh:
"That would bring comfort and ease to two poor women like Mariette and me for a lifetime!"
"Those fifteen thousand francs are yours, madame," observed Louis.
"Mine!" she cried, "mine!" then shaking her head incredulously, she resumed sharply; "That's it, laugh at a poor old woman—why can't you leave me in peace?—I don't see why this should belong to me!"
"The money is to be used to provide a pension of twelve hundred francs for you," declared the young man, "that you may be independent after our marriage; for we shall be married as soon as possible."
"Ah! yes; so you wish to bribe the old woman, and be rid of her once for all," growled the irritable Mme. Lacombe. "Do you imagine I would sell myself for money?"
"Dear godmother," cried Mariette, throwing her arms about the woman's neck, "don't say we want to get rid of you! Louis had no thought of humiliating you with the money, he merely did what you requested."