‘Yes, so she had, so she had,’ said the maid; ‘a tin one it was.’
The Jew laughed, and said, ‘A gold one, my dear. It was tin when you had her, I dare say; but formerly, in the days of her greatness, my dear, she had one made of pure gold, and I can tell you what’—here he again lowered his voice—‘I know where the gold one is. I can find it. Yes, my dear, I can, and I may as well just let you have a peep at it.’ Here the Jew drew something in a paper out of his pocket, and held it up.
‘Oh my!’ said the nursery maid, ‘well, if ever! There’s Maria Poppet engraved upon it—and you’ve brought it back to young missis. Oh, how pleased she will be!’
‘Yes, my dear,’ said the Jew, putting it back into his pocket. ‘You can tell them what you’ve seen, and say that I have no objection to selling it, to oblige them—and it’s pure gold, you know, my dear, and I’ll come again to-morrow morning. Clo’! clo’! clo’!’ and away he went, leaving the poor nursery maid calling out after him in vain.
Well, this was the talk of the whole house. Everybody was so much interested about it. Next morning the Jew came, and asked to see Mrs. Thomson. He was shown into the passage, and then he produced the gold bracelet, which fitted my wrist exactly, and everybody admired it very much, particularly Lydia, who kissed it several times.
‘You will sell it, of course?’ said Mrs. Thomson.
After long hesitation and consideration, the Jew names his price. Mrs. Thomson then made him an offer of some money for it, but the Jew said he could melt it, and make more by it than that.
At the sound of ‘melting’ it, Lydia began to cry bitterly, so we were all sent away into the nursery, and told to wait till Mrs. Thomson came to us. How it was settled I do not know, but after waiting about half an hour, we heard the sound of ‘Clo’! clo’!’ and Mrs. Thomson came upstairs, bringing the bracelet in her hand, and that very day it was fastened on my wrist, as at first.
