A Velasquez was beside her; a great Titian over the way; a priceless Rembrandt beside it.

On her right hand stood a chair of carved steel, presented by a German town to a German emperor, which, had not its equal in Europe; the brocade draping the deep windows in front of her had been specially made to grace a state visit to the house of Charles II.
"At Mellor," she went on, "we are old and tumble-down.

The rain comes in; there are no shutters to the big hall, and we can't afford to put them--we can't afford even to have the pictures cleaned.

I can pity the house and nurse it, as I do the village.

But here--" And looking about her, she gave a significant shrug.
"What--our feathers again!" he said laughing.