e room around me grew dreamy. My head felt light. All the things I
had ever believed in seemed to have fallen far, far below me, tiny and
inconsequent. I closed my hands hard around the arms of my chair. I
clung to it as if it had been my last principle of faith. "I have
given my word," I said, "and even if I had not, I should have to tell
the truth. It is a question of honor."

She stood a moment longer with her hands still clenched and slightly
raised, as if she were going to strike a blow--myself, or her own
breast. Then she let them fall limp, and, lifting her shoulders with a
superb little scornful motion, "Ah, I thought you were only a fool,"
she said. "I see, you are cold."

She turned sharply about, and crossed the room to where something which
looked like a large bench stood against the wall, covered with
gold-colored velvet. I saw her fling back the covering and kneel
beside it, fumbling with the lid. I heard the clicking of what seemed
a series of locks. At last she turned her head and spoke, "Come here!"

I rose and went slowly over to where she knelt in the shadow.

"Sit down."

I seemed involuntarily to obey those imperious words. I took the seat
she indicated, a carved stool, drawn near the chest, and saw her just
lifting out a long string of blue flashing stars. It was like a toy,
like one of those strings you hang upon a Christmas tree, only a
hundred times more brilliant. "See how pretty!" she said, and ran it
through her fingers in a little blue stream; then, with an easy motion
of her wrist, she tossed it around my shoulders. She put her hand down
into the chest and brought out a long, long string of pearls--if pearls
had ever been so large--long as the rosaries I used to string of oak
balls, and dropped it over my head. I felt the great weight of it upon
my neck.

"Look," she said, and taking up a velvet case, opened it, and showed
me, lying on the crimson satin bed, a necklace like a wreath of light.
There was no misunderstanding the preciousness of that. The shock of
the realization of what they were sent the blood into my face. Her
eyes laughed at me with a gleam that seemed devilish. She threw the
box into my lap. She took out rings and covered my fingers with them,
drops of blood, red, and brilliant green, and rainbow colors. I
couldn't seem to speak or move. I thought she must be mad.

"Here," she said, and leaning toward me, deftly pulled out the pins and
took of