, blinking , ‘ Are you finished , sir ? ’ To those who know the game this means , ‘ Are you to leave the other chop — the one sitting lonely and lovely beneath the dish-cover ? ’ , almost sure that he is in the right mood and sending out a feeler , ‘ Then am I to clear ? ’ , in entranced giggles , ‘ He , he , he ! ’ ‘ Again ? ’ , who will probably be a great duchess some day , ‘ I do n't mind if I does have a snack . ’ She places herself at the table after what she conceives to be the manner of the genteelly gluttonous ; then she quakes a little . ‘ If Missis was to catch me . ’ She knows that Missis is probably sitting downstairs with her arms folded , hopeful of the chop for herself . ‘ What makes you so good to me , sir ? ’ , preening , ‘ A lady ? Go on . ’ , neatly , ‘ If quite convenient . ’ The kindly young man surveys her for some time in silence while she has various happy adventures . ‘ Of course you can smoke . I have often seen you smoking . ’ ‘ You 're at your tricks again . ’ ‘ I minds , but it makes me that shy . ’ She has , however , a try at it . ‘ Do smoke , Mr. Rollo , I loves the smell of it . ’ Steve lights his pipe ; no real villain smokes a pipe . ‘ Yes , sir . ’ Sharply , ‘ Would you say devil to a real lady , sir ? ’ Steve , it may be hoped , is properly confused , but here the little idyll of the chop is brought to a close by the tinkle of a bell . Richardson springs to attention . ‘ That will be the friends you are expecting ? ’ ‘ Thereabouts . Would a real lady lick the bone — in company I mean ? ’ ‘ Then I 'm finished . ’ , the tray in her hand to give her confidence , ‘ Yes , ma'am . He will be down in a minute , ma'am . He is expecting you , ma'am . ’ Expecting her , is he ! Amy smiles the bitter smile of knowledge . , with the guilt of the chop on her conscience , ‘ What man ? ’ , with spirit , ‘ He is a man himself . ’ ‘ Me . ’ ‘ Oh , ma'am . ’ , at bay , ‘ He — he calls her a lady . ’ ‘ Of course I know she ai n't a real lady . ’ , fixed by Amy 's eye , ‘ No , ma'am — I meant no harm , ma'am . ’ ‘ Well can I remember . Three times last week . ’ , with her gown to her eyes , ‘ Yes , ma'am ; I see it now . ’ ‘ What 's that ? ’ , rather spiritedly , ‘ No , she do n't . ’ ‘ Oh , ma'am , you are terrifying me . ’ ‘ She — Her what you are speaking about — ’ ‘ It was just a chop . What makes you so grudging of a chop ? ’ ‘ Oh , ma'am . ’ The little maid , bearing the dishes , backs to the door , opens it with her foot , and escapes from this terrible visitor . The drawn curtains attract Amy 's eagle eye , and she looks behind them . There is no one there . She pulls open the door of the cupboard and says firmly , ‘ Come out . ’ No one comes . She peeps into the cupboard and finds it empty . A cupboard and no one in it . How strange . She sits down almost in tears , wishing very much for the counsel of Ginevra . Thus Steve finds her when he returns . ‘ A gentleman downstairs , sir , wanting to see you . ’ ‘ Oh , lor ’ . ' ‘ Come quick , Miss . ’ ‘ Yes , Miss — he said his name was Colonel Grey . ’ Ginevra would have known that it must be the husband , but for the moment Amy is appalled . , who has her own troubles , ‘ About the chop ? ’ ‘ Come along , Miss . What 's the matter ? ’ , tugging at the closed door , ‘ Come out of that . I promised to put you on the upper landing . You can n't go hiding in there , lady . ’ ‘ Would you speak with me a minute , sir ? ’ , with the old sinking , ‘ A chop ! ’ She departs with her worst suspicions confirmed .