"You've been getting me up," said Garstin bluntly. "Reading 'Who's
Who'!"

Arabian raised his eyebrows.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Don't be absurd and put on false modesty, Dick," said Miss Van Tuyn.
"As if you weren't known to everyone!"

It was the first time she had spoken in Arabian's hearing since the
episode in Shaftesbury Avenue, and, as she uttered her first words, she
thought she detected a faint and fleeting look of surprise--it was like
a mental start made visible--slip over his face, like a ray of pale
light slipping over a surface. Immediately afterwards a keen expression
came into his eyes, and he looked rather more self-possessed than
before, rather harder even.

"Everyone, of course, knows your name, Mr. Dick Garstin, as mademoiselle
says."

"Right you are!" said Garstin gruffly. "Glad to hear it!"

He now directed the two pin-points of light to the new visitor, stared
at him with almost cruel severity, and yet with a curiously inward
look, frowning and lifting his long pursed lips, till the upper lip was
pressed against the bottom of his beaked nose.

"Are you going to allow me to paint you?" he said. "That's what