"
After a few more words, in which Severne, seeing Vizard was in one of his
iron moods, and immovable as him of Rhodes, affected now to be a partisan
of the new arrangement, Miss Gale rose to retire. Severne ran before her
to the door, and opened it, as to a queen. She bowed formally to him as
she went out. When she was on the other side the door, she turned her
head in her sharp, fiery way, and pointed with her finger to the emerald
ring on his little finger, a very fine one. "Changed hands," said she:
"it was on the third finger of your left hand when we met last;" and she
passed down the stairs with a face half turned to him, and a cruel smile.
Severne stood fixed, looking after her; cold crept among his bones: he
was roused by a voice above him saying, very inquisitively, "What does
she say?" He looked up, and it was Fanny Dover leaning over the balusters
of the next landing. She had evidently seen all, and heard some. Severne
had no means of knowing how much. His heart beat rapidly. Yet he told
her, boldly, that the doctress had admired his emerald ring: as if to
give greater force to this explanation, he took it off, and showed it
her, very amicably.
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