“'What have you brought me?'
“I pretended to have forgotten, but she did not believe me, and I made her beg, and even beseech me. But when I saw that she was devoured by curiosity, I gave her the sacred silver box. She appeared overjoyed.
“'A relic! Oh! A relic!'
“And she kissed the box passionately, so that I was ashamed of my deception. She was not quite satisfied, however, and her uneasiness soon turned to terrible fear, and looking straight into my eyes, she said:
“'Are you sure-that it is genuine?'
“'Absolutely certain.'
“'How can you be so certain?'
“I was trapped; for to say that I had bought it of a man in the streets would be my destruction. What was I to say? A wild idea struck me, and I said, in a low, mysterious voice:
“'I stole it for you.'
“She looked at me with astonishment and delight in her large eyes.