“It is false! I don’t believe it!” cried Martin; whereupon I expected Mynheer would have fallen into a passion, and told us no more; but, not noticing the offensive words, he added, “That, although there was some little difficulty at first in recognizing the features, as when found life must have been extinct two days”—a long period in such a climate—“from the clothes, a locket, ring, watch, and the purse found upon her, there was not the least doubt as to her identity.”
“Strange,” observed Martin, thoughtfully, skeptically, “that robbers should not have taken such valuables.”
“Most wonderful!” replied Mynheer, quickly; “but it is supposed that, in their haste and fear of being captured, they overlooked the trinkets. But it matters not,” he added, in a whining tone; “would that they had taken them, aye, and all I possess, had they but saved the poor dear child’s life. It is sad, most sad!”
“For us,” said my brother, fiercely, “it is sad—worse than our own deaths; but for you, Mynheer—”
“It is a calamity that has cut me to the heart,” interposed our guardian.
“It may be so, or it may not,” said my brother, adding defiantly, but deliberately, and with a searching glance into the notary’s face, as if to watch the effect the words would produce, “but, Mynheer, you will find a consolation in her fortune. Now you will be able to give the Prince more money.”
In an instant I placed myself between them, for I thought Mynheer would then and there have felled him to the ground. He turned deathly pale, his features were contorted into a demoniacal expression, his right hand was clenched and uplifted.
“Forgive him, Mynheer,” exclaimed our aunt, probably with the same fear, for she rose from her seat. “The poor boy is bereft of his senses, and he knows not what he is saying.”
Mynheer spoke not a word, but was evidently endeavoring to suppress the rage which, by the way, was plainly enough stamped upon his countenance. But Martin, fearless of consequences, replied:
“I am not mad. Madam, my aunt, I don’t want him to forgive me, any more than I will ever forgive him; and now I have said it, you may kill me, if you please.”