He looked at her in amazement. He noticed that her left hand was without
the ring. He frowned and asked:
"What has become of your ring, Hanka?"
"It isn't the one you gave me," she answered quickly. "It is the other
one. That doesn't matter."
"I did not know you had been obliged to do that, or I would long ago--"
"But I was not obliged to do it; I wanted to. You see I have plenty of
money. But it does not matter in the least, for I still have _your_
ring."
"Well, whether it is my ring or not, you have not done me a favour by
this. I want you to keep your things. I am not so altogether down and out,
even if I have had to let some of my help go."
She bowed her head. He walked over to the window; when he turned back he
noticed that she was looking at him; her eyes were candid and open. He
grew confused and turned his back to her again. No, he could not speak to
her of moving now; let her stay on awhile if she wanted to. But he would
at least try to persuade her to cease this strange manner of living; there
was no sense in that; besides, she was getting thin and pale.
"Don't be offended, but ought you not--Not for my sake, of course, but for
your own--"
"Yes, I know," she interrupted, afraid of letting him finish; "time
passes, and I haven't moved yet.
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