somewhat more carefully at the setting, laid the ring for a moment in a
pair of light scales, and, handing it back to Otto, remarked with a tone
and manner of the most entire indifference:

"The worth of this inestimable ring is one shilling and sixpence."

"Caitiff of a huckster!" exclaimed Otto, bringing down his fist on the
bench with such vigour that the pebbles leaped up and fell rattling down:
"Sayest thou this of a gem framed by genii in the bowels of the earth?"

"Nay, friend," returned the jeweller with the same imperturbable air, "that
thy gem was framed of earth I in nowise question, seeing that it doth
principally consist of sand. But when thou speakest of genii and the bowels
of the earth, thou wilt not, I hope, take it amiss if I crave better proof
than thy word that the devil has taken to glass-making. For glass, and
nothing else, credit me, thy jewel is."

"And the gold?" gasped Otto.

"There is just as much gold in thy ring as sufficeth to gild handsomely a
like superficies of brass, which is not saying much."

And, applying a sponge dipped in some liquid to a small part of the hoop,
the jeweller disclosed the dull hue of the baser metal so evidently that
Otto could hardly doubt longer. He doubted no more when the lapidary laid
his ring in the scales against another of the same size and make, and
pointed to the inequality of the balance.

"Thou seest," he continued, "that in our craft a very little gold goes a
very great way. It is far otherwise in the world, as thou, albeit in no
sort eminent for sapience, hast doubtless ere this ascertained for thyself.
Thou art evidently a prodigious fool!"

This latter disparaging observation could be safely ventured upon, as Otto
had rushed from the shop, speechless with rage.

Was Aurelia deceiver or deceived? Should he execrate her, or her venerable
grandmother, or some unknown person? The point was too knotty to be solved
in the agitated state of his feelings. He decided it provisionally by
execrating the entire human race, not forgetting himself.

In a mood like Otto's a trifling circumstance is sufficient to determine
the quality of action. The ancient city of which he was at the time an
inhabitant was traversed by a large river spanned by a quaint and
many-arched bridge, to which his frantic and aimless wanderings had
conducted him. Spires and gables and lengthy facades were reflected in the
water, blended with the shadows of boats, and intersper