Welcome back, everyone to the Count of Mardi Cristo by Alexandra Dumas.

Chapter 45, The Rain of Blood.

This is your host, John Haggardorn, and this is 1001 Stories for the Road.

And now, our story.

As the jeweler returned to the apartment, he cast around him a scrutinizing glance,

but there was nothing to excite suspicion, if it did not exist, or to confirm it, if it were

already awakened.

Katerush's hands still grasped the gold and banknotes,

and Larkar Kant called up her sweetest smiles while welcoming the reappearance of their guest.

"'Well, well,' said the jeweler,

"'you seem, my good friends, to have had some fears respecting the accuracy of your money,

by counting it over so carefully directly I was gone.

"'Oh, no,' answered Katerousse,

"'that was not my reason. I can assure you.

But the circumstances by which we have become possessed of this wealth

are so unexpected as to make us scarcely credit our good fortune,

and that is only by placing the actual proof of our riches before our eyes that we can persuade ourselves that the whole

affair is not a dream. The jeweler smiled. Have you any other guests in the house? inquired he.

"'Nobody but ourselves, replied Caterousse.

The fact is, we do not lodge travelers.

Indeed, our tavern is so near the town that nobody would think of stopping here.

Then I am afraid I shall very much inconvenience you.

...