He took a step nearer, he admired her courage.
"What was the feeling which caused them? Tell me, I must know,—" he said; but as he spoke he chanced to notice she had replaced her wedding ring, it shone below his glittering ruby.
"That I will not bear!" he exclaimed, and with almost violence he seized her wrist and forcibly drew both rings from her finger, and then replaced his own.
"There shall be no token of another! No gold band there but mine, and until then, no jewel but this ruby!"
Then he dropped her hand and turning, threw the wedding ring with passion in the fire!
Tamara made a step forward in protest, and then she stood petrified while her eyes flashed with anger.
"Indeed, yes, I am ashamed I cried!" she said at last between her teeth.
He made some restless paces, he was very much moved.
"I must know—" he began. But at that moment the servants came in with the tea, and Tamara seized the opportunity while they were settling the tray to get nearer the door, and then fled from the room, leaving Gritzko extremely disturbed.
What could she mean? He knew in his calmer moments he had not the least cause to be jealous of Jack. What was the inference in her words? Two weeks seemed a long time to wait before he could have all clouds dispersed, all things explained—as she lay in his arms. And this thought—to hold her in his arms—drove him wild. He felt inclined to rush after her, to ask her to forgive him for his anger, to kiss and caress her, to tell her he loved her madly and was jealous of even the air she breathed until he should hear her say she loved him.