“What do you mean?” asked Alice, gazing up at him with unrestrained astonishment.
“Did you swear to love, honour, and obey Alice Fairfax? I have often heard of people being wedded to self, but such an utterly barefaced proceeding as yours I never met with before.”
Alice had never thoroughly realised till now how bitterly he had resented her treatment of his wedding-ring.
“Where is my own ring?” she asked with a reckless boldness that surprised herself.
“I wear it on my watch-chain.”
“Will you ever give it back to me?” she inquired, more and more amazed at her own audacity.
He paused and stood still for a moment, and eyeing his wife with cool unspeakable amazement, said:
“Will I give you back your wedding-ring? When you deserve it I may; but,” he added slowly and impressively, “as far as I can judge at present, that will never be.”
He felt her little hand tremble on his arm, he saw her lips quiver, a mist come over her deep-fringed eyes. Seized with sudden compunction, he said:
“I am afraid I am always giving you rude brusque answers, but you brought this on yourself. The past three years have not been calculated to improve a man’s temper, have they?”