“It’s an extravagance, because it’s one of the most expensive dishes on the menu, but at any rate it proves that I’m not Lady Starping; she never touches shellfish, and poor Lady Braddleshrub has no digestion at all; if I am her I shall certainly die in agony in the course of the afternoon, and the duty of finding out who I am will devolve on the press and the police and those sort of people; I shall be past caring. Lady Knewford doesn’t know one rose from another and she hates men, so she wouldn’t have spoken to you in any case; and Lady Mousehilton flirts with every man she meets⁠—I haven’t flirted with you, have I?”

Jerton hastily gave the required assurance.

“Well, you see,” continued the lady, “that knocks four off the list at once.”

“It’ll be rather a lengthy process bringing the list down to one,” said Jerton.