lighted up by the sparkling jewels, that it put
me in mind of a dingy old mirror, such as you see in country inns. The
glass receives every luminous image without reflecting the light, and
a traveler bold enough to look for his face in it beholds a man in an
apoplectic fit.

"'Well?' asked the Count, clapping Gobseck on the shoulder.

"The old boy trembled. He put down his playthings on his bureau, took
his seat, and was a money-lender once more--hard, cold, and polished as
a marble column.

"'How much do you want?'

"'One hundred thousand francs for three years,' said the Count.

"'That is possible,' said Gobseck, and then from a mahogany box
(Gobseck's jewel-case) he drew out a faultlessly adjusted pair of
scales!

"He weighed the diamonds, calculating the value of stones and setting
at sight (Heaven knows how!), delight and severity struggling in the
expression of his face the meanwhile. The Countess had plunged in a kind
of stupor; to me, watching her, it seemed that she was fathoming the
depths of the abyss into which she had fallen. There was remorse still
left in that woman's soul. Perhaps a hand held out in human charity
might save her. I would try.

"'Are the diamonds your personal property, madame?' I asked in a clear
voice.

"'Yes, monsieur,' she said, looking at me with proud eyes.

"'Make out the deed of purchase with power of redemption, chatterbox,'
said Gobseck to me, resigning his chair at the bureau in my favor.

"'Madame is without doubt a married woman?' I tried again.

"She nodded abruptly.

"'Then I will not draw up the deed,' said I.

"'And why not?' asked Gobseck.

"'Why not?' echoed I, as I drew the old man into the bay window so as
to speak aside with him. 'Why not? This woman is under her husband's
control; the agreement would be void in law; you could not possibly
assert your ignorance of a fact recorded on the very face of the
document itself. You would be compelled at once to produce the diamonds
deposited with you, according to the weight, value, and cutting therein
described.'

"Gobseck cut me short with a nod, and turned towards the guilty couple.

"'He is right!' he said. 'That puts the whole thing in a different
light. Eighty thousand francs down, and you leave the diamonds with
me,' he added, in the husky, flute-like voice. 'In the way of property,
possession is as good as a title.'

"'But----' objected the young man.

"'You can take it or leave it,' continued