"There's no confounded tom-fool nonsense about me;" and each time Mr Elbraham said this he took out of the morocco white satin-lined case a brilliant half-hoop ring, set with magnificent stones, breathed on it, held it to the light, moistened it between his lips, held it up again, finished by rubbing it upon his sleeve, and returning it to the case. "That'll fetch her," he said. "My! what you can do with a woman if you bring out a few diamonds. I shan't shilly-shally: I shall come out with it plump;" but all the same, when by proper manoeuvring the Honourable Misses Dymcox had arranged themselves behind books and left the two couples at opposite ends of the room, while they themselves occupied _dos-a-dos_ the ottoman in the centre, Mr Elbraham did not "out with it plump." He seated himself as close as decency would permit to Clotilde, and stared at her, and breathed hard, while she returned his look with one that was half mocking, half defiant. "Been to many parties lately?" he said at last, nothing else occurring to his mind except sentences that he would have addressed to ballet-girls upon their good looks, their agility, and the like. No; Clotilde had not been to many parties. "But you like 'em; I'll bet a wager you like 'em?" said Elbraham with a hoarse laugh. Oh yes, Clotilde dearly liked parties when they were nice. There was another interval of hard breathing, during which Mr Elbraham took out and consulted his watch. The act of replacing that made him remember the ring in the morocco case, and he thrust his finger and thumb in his vest pocket, but it was not there, and he remembered that he had placed it in his trousers pocket. This was awkward, for Mr Elbraham was stout and his garments tight. Still, he would want it directly, and he made a struggle and dragged it out, growing rather red in the face with the effort. This gave him something else to talk about. "Ha! it's nice to be you," he said, dropping the case in his vest. "Why?" said Clotilde, looking amused. "Because you gal--ladies dress so well; not like us, always in black. That's a pretty dress." "Think so?" said Clotilde carelessly. "Very pretty. I like it ever so, but it isn't half good enough for you.--That's getting on at last," he muttered to himself. "Oh yes, but it is. Aunt Philippa said it was a very expensive dress." "Tchh, my dear, rubbish! Why, I would not see anyone I cared for in such a dress as that. I like things rich and good, and the best money can buy." "Do you?" said Clotilde innocently; but her cheeks began to burn. "Do I? Yes; I should just think I do. Look here! What do you think of that?" He took out and opened the little case, breathed on the diamonds, and then held them in a good light. "Oh, how lovely!" said Clotilde softly. "Ain't they?" said Elbraham. "They're the best they'd got at Hancock's, in Bond Street. Pretty stiff figure, too, I can tell you."