So why shouldn't you take each other and have done?
What is there to come between a young man and a young woman such as you are ?" "I don't know," groaned Godfrey.
"No, nor don't I; and yet something does come between.

What's the meaning of it all?
Why do things always go cussed in this 'ere world?
Is there a devil about what manages it, or is it just chance?
Why shouldn't people have what they want and when it's wanted, instead of being forced to wait until perhaps it isn't, or can't be enjoyed, or often enough to lose it altogether?
You can't answer, and nor can't I; only at times I do think, notwithstanding all my Christian teachings and hundreds and hundreds of your father's sermons, that the devil, he's top-dog here.

And as for that there foreign woman whose letter you've read to me, she's his housemaid.

Not but what I'm sure it will all come right at last," she added, with an attempt at cheerfulness.
"I hope so," replied Godfrey, without conviction, and went to bed.
Presently he descended from his room again, bearing a pill-box in which was enclosed a certain ring that years before he had bought at Lucerne, a ring set with two hearts of turquoise.
"I promised not to write," he said, "but you might address this to her.
She'll know what it is, for I told her about it." "Yes," said Mrs.Parsons, "the young lady shall have that box of pills.
Being upset, it may do her good." In due course Isobel did have it; also the box came back addressed to Mrs.Parsons.In it was another ring, a simple band of ancient gold--as a matter of fact, it was Roman, a betrothal ring of two thousand years ago.

Round it was a scrap of paper on which was written: "This was dug up in a grave.