"Really?"
He drew his chair still closer, and, leaning over, touched with his stubby forefinger the rings on her outstretched hand.
"Jewels?" she said, smiling.
"Yes."
"Any woman is the same."
"Why?"
"I don't know—it is so," she said, and, raising the deep lusters, she allowed her glance to rest on them as in a dream of opium.
He drew from his pocket the ring with the ruby, and held it out.
"Try this on."
She took it between her finger-tips slowly, looking at him with a glance that was a puzzled frown, and slipped it on her finger. Then she extended her hand gradually to the full length of her white arm against the purple, and half closed her eyes. There was no outward sign; only a deep breath went through her, as though an immense change had taken place in the inner woman.