It had been rifled of most of its contents, madam herself having worn many of her jewels, while others had been loaned to the actors to embellish their costumes for the play.
"Ah! my task is made much easier than I expected," murmured the woman, as she peered curiously into the velvet-lined receptacle.
She saw only an empty tray, which she carefully removed, only to find another exactly like it underneath.
This also she took out, revealing the bottom of the box, covered with its velvet cushion, upon which there were indentations, to receive a full set of jewelry, necklace, bracelets, tiara, brooch and ear-rings.
The housekeeper's face was ghastly pale, or would have been but for the stain which gave her complexion its olive tinge, and she was trembling with excitement.
"She surely took that paper from this box," she muttered, a note of disappointment in her voice, as if she had expected to find what she sought upon removing the second tray.
"I wonder if this cushion can be removed?" she continued, as she tried to lift it from its place.
But it fitted so closely that she could not stir it.
Looking around the room for something to assist her in this effort, she espied a pair of scissors on the dressing-case.
Seizing them, she attempted to pry up the cushion with them.