“Jewels? umph! what jewels?”
“My poor wife's. You know them, Reuben See!”
Israel opened the casket.
“Ah, your wife's. Umph! yes, I suppose I must have seen them somewhere.”
“You have seen them here, Reuben.”
“Here?—do you say here?”
“Reuben, you sold them to me eighteen years ago.”
“Sold them to you? Never. I don't remember it. Surely you must be mistaken. I can never have dealt in things like these.”
Reuben had taken the casket in his hands, and was pursing up his lips in expressions of contempt.
Israel watched him closely. “Give them back to me,” he said; “I can go elsewhere. I have no time for wrangling.”