Iris made a step towards the door. A terrible struggle ensued in Madame de Hansfeld's mind between her good and bad angel.
Iris advanced towards the door, and placed her hand on the lock.
The handle made a noise in turning. Paula's bad angel had the ascendancy in the struggle. Madame de Hansfeld said, in a tone scarcely audible, so low, so very low, "Iris!" that it was necessary for all the Bohemian's attention to the same in order to catch the word.
Iris in two steps approached her mistress.
"Here, go, I beg, and put away this pin," said Paula, in a faint voice.
And she handed the pin to the Bohemian.
Iris, as she touched her mistress's hand to take the jewel, felt it damp and cold as death.
CHAPTER XLVI
[THE CHÂTEAU DE BRÉVANNES]
M. de Brévannes's estate, situated in Lorraine, near Longeville, at some leagues from Bar-le-Duc, was a comfortable residence. A nice park, some excellent preserves, magnificent lakes, fed by the overflows of the Ornain, a dwelling-house spacious and convenient: all in this property responded to the picture which De Brévannes had drawn to M. de Hansfeld.