I saw it in his eyes.
We seated ourselves in the carriage, and I dreaded to break the
silence at first, but we had not long turned into the high road from
the avenue when hoofs came behind us, and a servant from Hunkerslust
rode up to the window, handing in a packet which he said had been
left behind.
I sat for a few minutes without opening it, and deemed it was my Book
of Hours, for it was wrapped in a kerchief of my own; but when I
unfolded that, behold I saw a small sandal-wood casket, and turning
the key, I beheld these few words--'Praying my Lord Walwyn to permit
restitution to be made.--M.van H.' And beneath lay the pearls of
Ribaumont.
'No! no! no, I cannot!' cried my brother, rising to lean from the
window and beckon back the messenger; but I pulled him by the skirts,
telling him it was too late, and whatever he might think fit to do,
he must not wound the lady's feelings by casting them back upon her
in this sudden manner, almost as if he were flinging them at her
head. He sat down again, but reiterated that he could not accept
them.
I told him that her jewels were wholly her own, subject to no
restrition, but this only made him ask me with some displeasure
whether I had been privy to this matter; the which I could wholly
deny, since not a word had passed between us, save on the schemes for
sending aid to the distressed families.
'I thought not,' he returned; and then he began to show me, what
needed little proof, how absolutely inexpedient it was for his honour
or for hers, that he should accept anything from her, and how much
more fitting it was that they should be absolutely out of reach of
all intercourse with one another during her year of mourning, or
until he could fitly address her.
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