'Now that you have fitted it for a lady's finger it should go to
your wife. No one else should have it.' Upon this he brought the
ring once more out of his pocket and again offered it to her. 'No;
anything but that. That your wife must have.' Then he put the
ring back again. 'It would have been nicer for you had Miss
Boncassen been here.' In saying this she followed no plan. It
came rather from pique. It was almost as though she had asked him
whether Miss Boncassen was to have the ring.
'What makes you say that?'
'But it would.'
'Yes it would,' he replied stoutly, turning round as he lay on the
ground and facing her.
'Has it come to that?'
'Come to what? You ask me a question and I will answer it truly.'
'You cannot be happy without her?'
'I did not say so. You ask me whether I should like to have her
here,--and I say Yes. What would you think of me if I said No?'
'My being here is not enough?' This should not have been said, of
course; but the little speech came from the exquisite pain of the
moment. She had meant to have said hardly anything.
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