All the fashion and the gossip and the soirees and the convesatziones and the promenades and the balls, all the beautiful gowns and the gorgeous potions: all these blossomed elsewhere now, and new young adventurers were now named the most beautiful women in London as the black corsage with its elegant horses made its way to St James’s Church at Piccadilly. But Sir Joshua Reynolds and Mr Thomas Gainsborough and many other Academicians had attended the funeral of the beautiful woman: a sign of respect for a fellow Academician. They had all, all of them, gone out of their way to be cordial to Signore di Vecellio since his house had been daubed with the word PAPIST: they stood by their colleague in shame at their countrymen. Now they were all at St James’s Church with solemn visage. Mr John Palmer came to the funeral in his shabby clothes and Miss Ann Ffoulks was there of course in a black bonnet with flowing ribbons, and Mr Hartley Pond (who carried a black snuff-box) and James Burke.
