"And had you never seen them until yesterday?"
"Never."
"And he'd never told you about them until they sent them from the bank, with that note?"
Sophia sighed as she glanced at the jewels. "He had not mentioned them," she said.
Lady Betty hugged her ecstatically: "The dear devoted man!" she cried. "I vow you are the luckiest woman in the world! There's not a girl in town would not give her two eyes for them! And mighty few would not be ready to sell themselves body and soul for them! And he sends them to you with scarce a word, but 'Lady Coke from her husband!'--and where they are to be hidden to travel. I vow," Lady Betty continued gaily, "if I were in your shoes, my dear, I should jump out of my skin with joy! I--why what's the matter, are you ill?"
For Sophia had suddenly burst into violent weeping; and now, with the diamonds lying in her lap, was sobbing on the other's shoulder as if her heart would break. "If you knew!" was all she could say: "If you knew!"
The young girl, amazed and frightened, patted her shoulder, tried to soothe her, asked her again and again: What? If she only knew what?
"The sight of them kills me!" Sophia cried, struggling in vain with her emotion. "They are not mine! I have no--no right to them!"
Lady Betty raised her pretty eyebrows in despair. "But they are yours," she said. "Your husband has given them to you."
"I would rather he killed me!" Sophia cried; her feelings, overwrought for a week past, finding sudden vent.