“Well, when I say famous, I mean she is a sort of historical character in these parts. Her husband was one of the great diamond kings here in the old days and she was very much queen, I can tell you. They say she was extremely beautiful.”
“She is still,” said Loree slowly, “in a way.”
“Oh no, quite passée,” said he, with the calm and cruelty of youth. “Everything’s in the past tense with her, poor old thing. Over and done with before you were born I expect. But she had a good run for her money, and so did old Micky Solano.”
“Isn’t he a diamond king still?”
“Well, I believe he thinks he is, but as a matter of fact he’s in a lunatic asylum somewhere down in the Colony. He lost nearly all his money in speculations, and it sent him off his head.”
“How sad! and how strange that she should still go out!”
“Oh, it was all a long time ago and she’s had an exciting life and can’t let go. Did you notice that big golden diamond on her forehead?”
“Yes, I did,” said Loree. “And I don’t think she can be very poor for she is covered with diamonds.”
“Well, comparatively poor, you know. They used to eat off gold plates and build palaces wherever they went, that sort of thing. Now she lives in a small house with a couple of servants, and I believe all her most important jewels have been sold one by one to pay the bills at Micky’s asylum. For he still lives sumptuously. She’s sport enough for that.”
“I could tell she had big qualities,” said Loree. “I felt she could either be a great saint or a great sinner.”