"Spectacles!" repeated Rachel, alighting with relief on a bit of firm foothold in a stretch of quicksand. "You don't mean—was he a gentleman?"

"I suppose so. Yes."

"Oh! I might have gone on guessing for an hour. You said he was a man."

"God made him, and so I was prepared to let him pass for one, as Portia says. Did you think the term was too complimentary?"

Rachel laughed. "Had he on a suit of dark-blue serge?"

"Now you suggest it, I believe he had."

"And had he a pleasant frank-like way with him?"

"Yes."

"It would be Dr Dudley. What was he wanting here?"

"India-rubber."