"I don't believe there is anything but rubbish in it!" cried Lady Waterville, incredulous to the last.
The box was placed upon the long dining-table, and we all gathered round and tried to open it. Cox did us good service with his strong pocket-knife, and succeeded in forcing up the lid.
The first thing that we then saw was a layer of cotton-wool, which was instantly removed by my dirty fingers. And then there was a subdued shout from three throats—a shout which made Lady Waterville get up from her chair with more agility than she had ever displayed in her life.
There, brighter than I had ever seen them in my vision, lay Inez Greystock's diamonds; so large, so intensely brilliant, that they seemed to carry us back to the days of Sinbad the Sailor. At the sight of them, Lady Waterville immediately became a partaker of the general ecstasy, and so exhausted herself with unwonted raptures and exclamations that she had to lean on Ronald's shoulder for support.
I have only a confused recollection of all that followed. There is an impression on my mind that we all fell to embracing each other in the wildest way, and that Cox shook hands with me over and over again. After that, he went out into the moonlit square, and hilariously hailed a hansom; and Ronald and I drove home with our booty.
I do not think the discovery had taken any serious effect on our heads, for we were both quite composed when the cab set us down in Chapel Place. Nurse met us in the entry, and when we had wished her good-night, we locked ourselves into our rooms, and took a long, long look at our treasures.
And then Ronald would not be satisfied till he had decked me out in all the diamonds, and made me stand before the glass to survey myself. Let no one say, after my experience, that dreams never come true. They do come true (not always, but now and then), and this assertion has been proved in other lives as well as mine.
As my husband insisted on sleeping with the diamonds under his pillow, it was a marvel to me that he had a good-night's rest, for jewels are not comfortable things to sleep upon. I was at first somewhat tormented by the fear of midnight robbers and assassins, but weariness soon prevailed over excitement, and I slumbered soundly till morning.
When I awoke, it was very difficult to believe that the events of the past night had not taken place in a dream. But there was the leather box with Ronald mounting guard over it, and we both decided that it must be deposited in a place of security without the least delay. It is a pleasant thing to be the proud possessor of diamonds of immense value, but by no means pleasant to spend all one's time in watching them. Ronald declared himself quite tired of his charge already.
Moreover nurse, although she rejoiced with us heartily enough, was obviously uneasy in mind. She had no sooner had a view of the gems than she went to the hall door and looked for the "suspicious characters" that were sure to be watching the house.