rugged hand, with a very long third finger.

'An adventurous nature; four long voyages in the past, and one to
come. Been ship-wrecked three times. No, only twice, but in danger
of a shipwreck your next journey. A strong Conservative, very
punctual, and with a passion for collecting curiosities. Had a
severe illness between the ages sixteen and eighteen. Was left a
fortune when about thirty. Great aversion to cats and Radicals.'

'Extraordinary!' exclaimed Sir Thomas; 'you must really tell my
wife's hand, too.'

'Your second wife's,' said Mr. Podgers quietly, still keeping Sir
Thomas's hand in his. 'Your second wife's. I shall be charmed';
but Lady Marvel, a melancholy-looking woman, with brown hair and
sentimental eyelashes, entirely declined to have her past or her
future exposed; and nothing that Lady Windermere could do would
induce Monsieur de Koloff, the Russian Ambassador, even to take his
gloves off. In fact, many people seemed afraid to face the odd
little man with his stereotyped smile, his gold spectacles, and his
bright, beady eyes; and when he told poor Lady Fermor, right out
before every one, that she did not care a bit for music, but was
extremely fond of musicians, it was generally felt that cheiromancy
was a most dangerous science, and one that ought not to be
encouraged, except in a tete-a-tete.

Lord Arthur Savile, however, who did not know anything about Lady
Fermor's unfortunate story, and who had been watching Mr. Podgers
with a great deal of interest, was filled with an immense curiosity
to have his own hand read, and feeling somewhat shy about putting