"Cornelius will have gold too," I observed, piqued that he should be thought poor; "he will earn a great deal of money and will be quite rich." The old woman looked delighted and astonished. "I always said my blessed young lady would make a grand match," she said; "and so he is to be rich! God bless the good young gentleman!" "He will be quite a great man," I resumed, "a Knight perhaps, or a Baronet." She raised her hands. "Ah well!" she sighed, after brooding for a few moments over my words, "he will have a blessed young lady for his wife, as good as she's handsome; and," she added, turning towards me her sightless eyes and gently laying her hand on my head, "and happy's the little girl that'll be with my dear young lady." CHAPTER XX. Matters had gone on thus for about a month, when Cornelius sold his Happy Time. Kate made him promise not to be extravagant; the only act of folly of which he rendered himself guilty was not a very expensive one. One morning, when Miriam came to the studio, to sit as usual, Cornelius produced a pair of morocco cases; each contained a silver filagree bracelet: he asked her to choose one, and accept it. She was sitting in the attire and attitude of Medora; he stood by her, his present in his hand. "Must I really choose?" she said. "What will Miss O'Reilly say?" "Oh! the other is not for Kate, but for Daisy," he quietly answered. I saw a scarcely perceptible change on her face, but she abstained from comment, gave an indifferent look to the two bracelets, and chose one, saying briefly-- "That one." Cornelius placed the rejected bracelet on the table before me, with a careless-- "There, my dear, that is for you." Then, without heeding my thanks, he devoted all his attention to the delightful task of fastening on the beautiful wrist of his mistress the bracelet she had accepted. He was a long time about it. The clasp, he said, was not good: she allowed him to do and undo it as often as he pleased. When he had at length succeeded, she looked down at her arm and said, indolently, "How very pretty it is!" "The hand, or the bracelet?" he asked, smiling. "The bracelet, of course." "Do you really think so?" he exclaimed, looking much pleased; "I was afraid you did not like it: it is of little value, you know." "It is very pretty," she said again. "Do you like jewelry?" he inquired, eagerly. "In a general way, no." He looked disappointed. "Why don't you like diamonds, pearls, and rubies?" he observed, with smiling reproach, "that I might have the pleasure of thinking--cannot give them to her now, but I shall earn them for her some day." "Yes, it is a pity," she replied, with gentle irony, "but I have a quarrel with you: why have you forgotten your sister?" "Forgotten Kate! she never wears jewels, Miriam." She did not reply. He remained by her awhile longer, then set to work.