Edward Hopper Queensborough Bridge

Edward Hopper Queensborough BridgeEdward Hopper House by the RailroadAmedeo Modigliani the Seated Nude
shopkeeper was left a little adrift by this sudden turning of the tide of conversation. She swam towards a reliable cliche. ‘Well, they do say, don’t they, that diamonds are a girl’s best friend?’ she said brightly.
DIAMONDS? mine. May I draw your attention to the exquisite -‘ He felt the penetrating stare drill through the back of his head. ‘But not, I must admit, noted for its friendliness,’ he said lamely. The dark customer looked disapprovingly around the shop. In the gloom, behind troll-proof bars, gems glowed like the eyes of dragons in the back of a cave.
OH. DIAMONDS. IS THAT SO?They glittered like bits of starlight on a black velvet sky. ‘This one.’ said the merchant, ‘is a particularly excellent stone, don’t you think? Note the fire, the exceptional -‘ HOW FRIENDLY IS IT?The merchant hesitated. He knew about carats, about adamantine lustre, about “water” and “make” and “fire”, but he’d never before been called upon to judge gems in terms of general affability.‘Quite well-disposed?’ he hazarded.NO.The merchant’s fingers seized on another splinter of frozen light. ‘Now this,’ he said, confidence flowing back into his voice, ‘is from the famous Shortshanks