Of the upper floor he made no use; it was filled with the neglected furniture of a more substantial establishment, and Langholm seldom so much as set foot upon the stairs.

The lower rooms were very simply furnished.

There was a really old oak bureau, and some solid, comfortable chairs.

The pictures were chiefly photographs of other writers.

There were better pictures deep in dust upstairs.
An artist in temperament, if not in attainment, Langholm had of late years found the ups and downs of his own work supply all the excitement that was necessary to his life; it was only when the work was done that his solitude had oppressed him; but neither the one nor the other had been the case of late weeks.