So great was her beauty that the gypsy chief gave to her a
necklace of precious jade, upon each bead of which had been tooled a
crown, so infinitesimal as to be seen only through a strong lens. The
chief told the fair Queen that the necklace brought good fortune to
whosoever possessed it. But so proud was the young Queen of the precious
beads and the good fortune that was to be hers that she boasted of them
to her Court and aroused the envy of many until a knave among her
courtiers stole them from her. For generations these beads, the
workmanship of a Magyar artisan, have passed from owner to owner,
always mysteriously, for, because of the good fortune they had power to
bestow, no one parted with them except from the most dire necessity, and
only lost them through theft. Ah," he held up one of the glowing green
globes, "the stories they could tell of greed and dishonor and cunning!
The lies that have been told for them! And an old priest found them at
last! It is many years since there has been any trace." He stared at
Beryl as though to see through her into the past. Then he roused quickly
and shook his shoulders.
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