STORY OP A ROPE OP PEARLS.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1031, 7 May 1883, Page 3

STORY OP A ROPE OP PEARLS.

The Countess' of L., a great lady moving in the Court circles of Vienna, is passionately fond of pearls.. In fact, she is the female counterpart of Lord Topaz- in “Lothair.” A few. days ago the Countess received a visit from her jeweller, who very strongly recommended her to become the purchaser 'Wf a most magnificent “ rope of pearls.” They are quite unique, madame, I assure .yon,” said the jeweller ; “ and the price to you is only a hundred thousand florins.” “ Only a hundred thotisarid florins !” repeated the countess, with a smile ; “ but n'importe , let me have a look at your gems, i I feel strong enough to resist the temptation to buy.” Thereupon the jeweller Opened the casket whiph contained his treasure,, and displayed a string of pearls of such faultless beauty that Lothair himself would have been proud l to present them to the Lady Corisande. Meanwhile the opening of the casket acted like magic upon the countess. No sooner had she caught sight of its contents than she overwhelmed the jeweller with a heap of questions. “ Where-—when—how—did % you come by these pearls, Mr ■■ ■ ? How much did you give—l mean, from whom did you buy them T' “ I did not huy them at all,” replied the astonished jeweller; “ neither do they belong to me. They were merely intrusted to me by a lady to sell on commission.” At the request ,of the countess, a footman was at once dispatched to bring the lady. After a brief delay, the lady arrived; yonng, handsome, and elegantly dressed. She listened with a subdued smile to the series of questions addressed to her. Nettled, but still retaining the command of her temper, the* countess wound up by touching a secret spring in the fastening of the necklace. “ There,” she exclaimed, pointing to her arms and motto engraved on the side of the fastening, “ however you came into the possession of these pearls, you will hardly venture to dispute that they belong to me. Four years ago they sndnenly disappeared from my jewel case, and now, after all inquiry had proved fruitless, they are found with yon. lam under great obligations to the lady who has restored to me that which is my own.” In answer to this tirade the lady uttered not a word, but opening a small reticule which she carried in her hand, produced a highly-scented billet-doux, and handed it to the countess, who started and swooned immediately. On recovering consciousness she went straight to her writing table, wrote a cheque for the amount demanded by the lady, and gave it to her without uttering a single word. The billet-doux was the hand-writing of the countess’s only son.