This occurred immediately after the return of Mr. John Vavasor from Westmoreland. He had reached home late on the preceding evening, and at the moment of Mr. Levy's call was in his dressing-room.
Alice got up to receive her visitor, and at once understood the tone of her maid's voice. Mr. Levy was certainly not a gentleman of the sort to which she had been most accustomed. He was a little dark man, with sharp eyes, set very near to each other in his head, with a beaked nose, thick at the bridge, and a black moustache, but no other beard. Alice did not at all like the look of Mr. Levy, but she stood up to receive him, made him a little bow, and asked him to sit down.
"Is papa dressed yet?" Alice asked the servant.
"Well, miss, I don't think he is,--not to say dressed."
Alice had thought it might be as well that Mr. Levy should know that there was a gentleman in the house with her.

At this time John Vavasor was in his dressing-room.
Alice got up to receive her visitor, and at once understood the tone of her maid's voice. Mr. Levy was a little dark man, with sharp close-set eyes, a beaked nose, and a black moustache. Alice did not like the look of him, but she asked him to sit down.
"Is papa dressed yet?" Alice asked the servant, purely to let Mr. Levy know that there was a gentleman in the house with her.
"I don't think so, miss."
