“Isn’t he? I’ve seen the pictures. But what is he like? The sort of chap you’d like to be seen with?” asked the young man.

“Well—not acutely,” replied Nigel.

“Very dark, is he? quite black?”

“Yes.”

“Good teeth?”

“Yes, several.”

“Clean-shaven?”

“Not very.”

There was a pause.

“But is he really an Italian?” asked Charlie.