There were no papers, however, and those were what he was in search of; so spying a drawer in the table, he pulled it hastily open.

The sight that met his eyes fairly dazzled him.

It was full of jewels of incomparable beauty and value, strewn as carelessly about as if they were valueless.

The blaze of gems at the midnight court seemed to him as nothing compared with the Golconda, the Valley of Diamonds shooting forth sparks of rainbow-fire before him now.

Around one magnificent diamond necklace was entwined a scrap of paper, on which was written: "The family jewels of the Montmorencis.