‘Well, there you are! She’s a really famous woman, and very much loved by many people, I’ve heard say; but, lord! her husband hardly gives her a thought! I’ve seen him in this very street walking with females that even I’d be ashamed to know; and it’s rumoured that he hasn’t got a penny of his own, and that all the money he throws about so lavishly is his wife’s; and if that’s the case, it’s really shameful, because of course she, without knowing it, pays for Marina’s jewels! However, there’s no accounting for tastes. I suppose Lady Carlyon’s too clever, or else plain in her personal appearance; and that’s why this diamond dove is going to La Marina instead of to her. Will you take the cuff-studs?’ ‘Yes, thank you, I will take them,’ said Delicia, opening her purse with cold, trembling fingers, and counting out crisp bank-notes to the value of twenty pounds. ‘They are pretty, and very suitable for a—a gentleman.’ Unconsciously she laid an emphasis on the word ‘gentleman,’ and the jeweller nodded. ‘Exactly! There’s nothing vulgar about them, not the least suspicion of anything ‘fast’! Really you can’t be too particular in the choice of studs, for what with the sporting men, and the jockeys and trainers who get presents of valuable studs from their turf patrons, it’s difficult to hit upon anything really gentlemanly _for_ a gentleman. But’—and the worthy man smiled as he packed up the studs—‘after all, real gentleman are getting very scarce! Allow me!’ Here he flung open the door of his establishment with the grace of a Sir Charles Grandison, and royally issued his command to the small boy in buttons attached to the shop, ‘See this lady to her carriage!’