utomaton--nothing more. It is a typewriter's function to transcribe the
words a client dictates as if they were absolutely meaningless to her.'

'Quite right,' he answered, approvingly. 'Quite right. I see you
understand. A very proper spirit!'

Then the Woman within me got the better of the Typewriter. 'Though I
confess,' I continued, 'I _do_ feel it is a little unkind to
sell Clara at once for whatever she will fetch. It seems to
me--well--unchivalrous.'

He smiled, but held his peace.

'Still--the middies,' I went on: 'they will perhaps take care that these
poor girls are not ill-treated.'

He leaned back, clasped his hands, and regarded me fixedly. 'Bertha,' he
said, after a pause, 'is Brighton A's--to be strictly correct, London,
Brighton, and South Coast First Preference Debentures. Clara is Glasgow
and South-Western Deferred Stock. Middies are Midland Ordinary. But I
respect your feeling. You are a young lady of principle.' And he
fidgeted more than ever.

[Illustration: HE WENT ON DICTATING FOR JUST AN HOUR.]

He went on dictating for just an hour. His subject-matter bewildered me.
It was all about India Bills, and telegraphic transfers, and selling
cotton short, and holding tight to Egyptian Unified. Markets, it seemed,
were glutted. Hungarians were only to be dealt in if they
hardened--hardened sinners I know, but what are hardened Hungarians? And
fears were not unnaturally expressed that Turks might be 'irregular,'
Consols, it appeared, were certain to give way for political reasons;
but the downward tendency of Australians, I was relieved to learn, for
the honour of so great a group of colonies, could only be temporary.
Greeks were growing decidedly worse, though I had always understood
Greeks were bad enough already; and Argentine Central were likely to be
weak; but Provincials must soon become commendably firm, and if Uruguays
went flat, something good ought to be made out of them. Scotch rails
might shortly be quiet-- I always understood they were based upon
sleepers; but if South-Eastern stiffened, advantage should certainly be
taken of their stiffening. He would telegraph particulars on Monday
morning. And so on till my brain reeled. Oh, artistic Florence! was
_this_ the Filippo Lippi, the Michael Angelo I dreamed of?

At the end of the hour, the Urbane Old Gentleman rose urbanely. He drew
on his gloves again with the greatest deliberation, and hunted for his
stick as if his life depended upon