One wall had low brown bookshelves.

There were two pictures: one an Around reprint of Matsys' "Portrait of Aegidius"-- that wise, kind, tender face; the other an admirable photogravure of Durer's "Selbstbildnis." The books were mainly to do with his favourite historical period--the Later Roman Empire.

There was some poetry--an edition of Browning, Swinburne's _Poems and Ballads_, Ernest Dowson, Rossetti, Francis Thompson.

There was an edition of Hazlitt, a set of the _Spectator_, one or two novels, _Henry Lessingham_ and _The Roads_ by Galleon, _To Paradise_ by Lester, Meredith's _One of Our Conquerors_ and _Diana of the Crossways, The Ambassadors_ and _Awkward Age_ of Henry James.
On the mantelpiece above the fireplace there were three deep blue bowls, the only ornaments in the room.

Beyond the little diamond-paned windows, beyond the dark mysteries of the Fellows' garden, a golden mist rose from the lamps of the street, there were stars in the sky.
He faced his books.