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 Flemish cabinets, Empire commodes, and Italian refectory tables. Everywhere flowers bloomed, spikes and clusters of them, in huge blue porcelain and terra-cotta jars. The procession of footmen mounted the grand staircase with the luggage. Now there was a great sound of barking and a pack of dogs bounded into the room to leap on their mistress: cocker spaniels, police dogs, Schnauzers, English bulls, Airedales, Sealyham terriers, Dalmatians, Russian wolfhounds, Pekinese, Dobermann Pinschers, Irish setters, and Samoyedes: every variety of fashionable canine seemed to be represented. After, with many a pretty gesture, laugh, and mocking reprimand, Imperia had rid herself of their exuberant attentions, she led the group through a doorway to the brick terrace at the rear of the house.

I want to show Mr. Deacon the view, she explained.

The view proved worthy of inspection. First came the broad lawn, magnificently cared for, with clumps of bushes and trees and flowers here and there. Twenty yards away in the bright morning sunlight a great pool of surprisingly blue water gleamed. Beyond, the prospect spread out to an indefinite distance over wavy, feathery green tree-tops, tiled