Flora Annie Steel

“ Jack Dacre did not hesitate this time. He said young Davenport was perfect, though he did not know him from Adam; and five minutes afterwards, when Tonio, the factotum, appeared with a flourish of a very dirty serviette and an announcement that breakfast was ready. Jack Dacre felt it was time. He was beginning to inhabit a world where all the men were charming, all the women beautiful. ”

“ She had meant to ask Tonio; but it would be far nicer if he did not mind, for he was one of themselves, as it were, and Charley had always been so sensitive.
Jack Dacre found the suicide's grave this time. There was a dead two-lire wreath hanging on one of the arms of the plain black cross, and he felt uncertain whether to say it was good enough for the memory of the man who lay underneath it, or admire himself for the superior merits of the new one which had prevented him from paying his bill! For, naturally, a man must have a margin for cigarettes and absinth! ”

“ Jack looked at the packet with a kindly smile, but ordered his usual glass of absinth.
Nevertheless, he felt bound to give a word of thanks to the little figure in the salon when he went downstairs. It was great kindness on her part, he said, to a total stranger.
"No one is a stranger to me," she said with dignity, "who comes from London town. Besides, you belong to us." ”

“ The faint tremble of her head and hand grew fainter, she sat straighter in the big arm-chair by the cold marble mausoleum of a mantelpiece—for there was no fire in the salon of the pension.
"I do live there," she replied sharply. "I have only been detained here by my health. I shall return next spring. It must have been looking very pretty when you left. The hyacinths out in the parks, I suppose. It always seems a pity to go away for Easter; but one must, of course. Everyone does." ”

“ Meanwhile they could converse on equal terms about the aristocracy; which they did, for Jack Dacre was a man of the world, and had given himself relations as well as a name. So, once more, the Honourable John Dacre went back for a few minutes to a life where all the men are honourable, all the women virtuous; for the Signorina's London town was peopled by heroes and angels. ”

“ So the days passed and his slightly better luck at the tables continued. Nevertheless, when at the end of the first week he found himself actually paying his bill, he swore at himself under his breath once more and told himself that he must not get into the bad habit. ”

“ I hear she brought out her youngest daughter. A pretty creature; though, naturally, no one has a chance against Miss Abiram cent. the Chicago heiress, for looks, if, of course, you except the Duchess of Bedlam, who is also American, isn't she? ”