-box:

"This evening, Nadine, I shall be pearls and diamonds!" cried the lovely
creature, as she fixed two large grey pearls in her ears.

"Oh, how beautiful you are, Princess! And what a lot they must have
cost!" cried Nadine.

"Ten thousand francs, my child, on each side of my head!"

Sonia slipped on her fingers three diamond rings set in platinum:

"And here are eight or nine thousand francs more," continued she, as
Nadine's eyes grew round with wonder: her mind could hardly grasp all
these thousands of francs-worth of diamonds and pearls. There were still
more to come; for, rejecting a magnificent bracelet, on the plea that
one no longer wore them at balls, the Princess smilingly bade her
Circassian fasten round her neck a superb triple collar of pearls. To
this was added a sparkling cascade of diamonds. Never had Nadine seen
her beautiful mistress so richly dressed. Thus adorned, in Nadine's
eyes, Sonia Danidoff was dazzlingly beautiful, exquisitely lovely.

"You look like the Holy Virgin on the icons!" stammered Nadine,
kneeling before her mistress, quite overcome by emotion.

"Good Heavens! That is blasphemy! I am only a humble human creature!"
said the Princess smiling. Then she once more looked at herself in the
mirrors, well satisfied with her appearance, certain of the effect she
would produce on her future husband Thomery. She threw over her
shoulders a superb mantle of zibeline which was quite needed, for,
though it was the middle of April, it was quite cold.

Then, ready at last, she descended to her motor-car, and was whirled
away to the ball.

* * * * *

"Cranajour!... Cranajour!"

Mother Toulouche shouted herself breathless: she tried to shout louder
and louder. It was in vain. She might shout herself hoarse--there was no
reply.

The old termagant, who had left the front of her hovel and had gone to
call her assistant, shouting in the passage at the back of the store,
returned cursing and swearing, and seated herself near the store in the
lean-to which did duty as a kitchen:

"Where in the devil's name has that imbecile got to?" she grumbled,
whilst sipping with gusts from the bottom of a cup, into which she had
poured a small allowance of coffee and a copious ration of rum. It was
about eleven in the evening. There was not a sound to be heard.

Having finished her rum and tea the old receiver of stolen goods went to
the entrance of the passage:

"Crana