He recalls the time when Rosa and he
walked here or there, mere children, full of the dignity of being
engaged. Poor children! he thinks, with a pitying sadness.
Finding that his watch has stopped, he turns into the jeweller's
shop, to have it wound and set. The jeweller is knowing on the
subject of a bracelet, which he begs leave to submit, in a general
and quite aimless way. It would suit (he considers) a young bride,
to perfection; especially if of a rather diminutive style of
beauty. Finding the bracelet but coldly looked at, the jeweller
invites attention to a tray of rings for gentlemen; here is a style
of ring, now, he remarks - a very chaste signet - which gentlemen
are much given to purchasing, when changing their condition. A
ring of a very responsible appearance. With the date of their
wedding-day engraved inside, several gentlemen have preferred it to
any other kind of memento.
The rings are as coldly viewed as the bracelet. Edwin tells the
tempter that he wears no jewellery but his watch and chain, which
were his father's; and his shirt-pin.
'That I was aware of,' is the jeweller's reply, 'for Mr. Jasper
dropped in for a watch-glass the other day, and, in fact, I showed
these articles to him, remarking that if he SHOULD wish to make a
present to a gentleman relative, on any particular occasion - But
he said with a smile that he had an inventory in his mind of all
the jewellery his gentleman relative ever wore; namely, his watch
and chain, and his shirt-pin.
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