“We have a few pomegranates in stock,” he continued, “but there has been no demand for them.”

“My servant will fetch the coffee as usual,” said the purchaser, producing a coin from a wonderful metalwork purse. As an apparent afterthought he fired out the question: “Have you, perhaps, any quail seed?”

“No,” said the grocer, without hesitation, “we don’t stock it.”

“What will he deny next?” asked Mrs. Greyes under her breath. What made it seem so much worse was the fact that Mr. Scarrick had quite recently presided at a lecture on Savonarola.