"Elephant's trunk!" murmured the Jew, and even Westenra had to smile.
"Oh! tusk I mean, of course. And the red things imbedded in them are garnets from De Beers's Mine in Kimberley. I think they are ever so much nicer than diamonds, don't you?"
The Jew tried to look as if he did, and succeeded fairly well.
"Here is another in my silver ring. A Zulu made this ring for me in Natal, out of a half-crown. I gave him the garnet to put in, and another half-crown for making it."
If the Jew were outraged at the idea of any lady wearing such cheap jewellery, he concealed his feelings under a silky smile.
"Then you know Africa, mad'moiselle?"
"I know every country except America," she said. "But I think Africa is the only one in the world that I could stay in always without getting bored."
"Ah! Is it Johannesburg you like?"
"Oh, no--Rhodesia--Zululand--the Drakenberg Mountains--the open veldt."
The Jew stared.