Scarlet-flock  paper.  Curtains  and  sofas,  green  Utrecht
velvet.  Woodwork  and  pillars,  white  and  gold.  Two
windows  looking  on  the  street.  At  the  other  end  folding-
doors  with  scarcely  any  woodwork,  all  plate-glass,  but
partly  hidden  by  heavy  curtains  of  the  same  color  and
material  as  the  others.
Accustomed  to  large,  lofty  rooms.  Lady  Bassett  felt
herself  in  a  long  box  here ;  but  the  colors  pleased  her.
She  said  to  Mary  Wells,  "What  a  funny,  cosey  little
place,  for  a  gentleman  to  live  in ! "

Mr.  Rolfe  was  engaged  with  some  one,  and  she  was
kept  waiting;  this  was  quite  new  to  her,  and  discouraged
her,  already  intimidated  by  the  novelty  of  the  situation.
She  tried  to  encourage  herself  by  saying  it  was  for  her
husband  she  did  this  unusual  thing;  but  she  felt  very
miserable,  and  inclined  to  cry.
At  last  a  bell  rang;  the  maid  came  in,  and  invited
Lady  Bassett  to  follow  her.  She  opened  the  glass  folding-
doors,  and  took  them  into  a  small  conservatory,  walled
like  a  grotto,  with  ferns  sprouting  out  of  rocky  fissures,
and  spars  sparkling ;  water  dripping.  Then  she  opefied
two  more  glass  folding-doors,  and  ushered  them  into  an
empty  room,  the  like  of  which  Lady  Bassett  had  never
seen;  it  was  large  in  itself,  and  multiplied  tenfold  by
great  mirrors  from  floor  to  ceiling,  with  no  frames  but  a


A  TEERIBLE  TEMPTATION.  221

narrow  oak  beading ;  opposite  her,  on  entering,  was  a  bay
window,  all  plate  glass,  the  central  panes  of  which  opened,
like  doors,  upon  a  pretty  little  garden  that  glowed  with
color,  and  was  backed  by  fine  trees  belonging  to  the
nation :  for  this  garden  ran  up  to  the  wall  of  Hyde  Park.
