She did not notice at first her daughter's approach, and Nina,
standing silently by her, looked down on many little canvas bags ranged
in the bottom of the chest, wherefrom her mother extracted handfuls of
shining guilders and Mexican dollars, letting them stream slowly back
again through her claw-like fingers. The music of tinkling silver seemed
to delight her, and her eyes sparkled with the reflected gleam of freshly-
minted coins. She was muttering to herself: "And this, and this, and yet
this! Soon he will give more--as much more as I ask. He is a great
Rajah--a Son of Heaven! And she will be a Ranee--he gave all this for
her! Who ever gave anything for me? I am a slave! Am I? I am the
mother of a great Ranee!" She became aware suddenly of her daughter's
presence, and ceased her droning, shutting the lid down violently; then,
without rising from her crouching position, she looked up at the girl
standing by with a vague smile on her dreamy face.
"You have seen. Have you?" she shouted, shrilly. "That is all mine, and
for you. It is not enough! He will have to give more before he takes
you away to the southern island where his father is king. You hear me?
You are worth more, granddaughter of Rajahs! More! More!"
The sleepy voice of Almayer was heard on the verandah recommending
silence.
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