Then she drew from the third finger of her left hand a superb solitaire diamond ring, and passed it to him.
“Examine that if you please,” she commanded, briefly and icily.
He took it, and upon its inner surface found engraved in tiny characters, “C. to E. Sept. 10th, 185—. Omnia Vincit Amor.”
It had evidently been given to her in September of the previous year.
“An engagement-ring,” he remarked, as he passed it back to her with an air that plainly said: “That proves nothing to your advantage.”
Madame bowed and then quietly but proudly drew from the same finger a massive circlet of gold which she also handed to him.
A dusky red surged to the physician’s brow as he received it and realized what he had done. He felt as if he had offered the fair woman an unpardonable insult.
This ring was marked “C. S. to E. E., Paris, March 15th, 185—.”
Both circlets proved an honorable engagement and a lawful marriage, the latter occurring some seven months subsequent to the former, and Dr. Turner felt that he had got himself into a very unpleasant predicament.
“I beg your pardon, madame,” he said, with visible confusion, but in a grave, respectful tone; “but your very extraordinary preposition must be my apology for my unjust and offensive suspicion.”