Портрет Дориана Грея

           Howdifferentitwaswithmaterialthings! Wherehadtheypassedto? Wherewasthegreatcrocus-colouredrobe,onwhichthegodsfoughtagainstthegiants,thathadbeenworkedbybrowngirlsforthepleasureofAthena? Where,thehugevelariumthatNerohadstretchedacrosstheColosseumatRome,thatTitansailofpurpleonwhichwasrepresentedthestarrysky,andApollodrivingachariot drawnbywhitegilt-reinedsteeds? Helongedtoseethecurioustable-napkinswroughtforthePriestoftheSun, onwhichweredisplayedallthedaintiesandviandsthatcouldbewantedforafeast; themortuaryclothofKingChilperic,withitsthreehundredgoldenbees; thefantasticrobesthatexcitedtheindignationoftheBishopofPontus,andwerefiguredwith "lions,panthers,bears,dogs,forests,rocks,hunters—all,infact,thatapaintercancopyfromnature;" andthecoatthatCharlesofOrleansoncewore,onthesleevesofwhichwereembroideredtheversesofasongbeginning "Madame,jesuistoutjoyeux,"themusicalaccompanimentofthewordsbeingwroughtingoldthread,andeachnote, ofsquareshapeinthosedays,formedwithfourpearls. HereadoftheroomthatwaspreparedatthepalaceatRheimsfortheuseofQueenJoanofBurgundy, andwasdecoratedwith"thirteenhundredandtwenty-oneparrots,madeinbroidery,andblazonedwiththeking’sarms,andfivehundredandsixty-onebutterflies, whosewingsweresimilarlyornamentedwiththearmsofthequeen,thewholeworkedingold. "CatherinedeMédicishadamourning-bedmadeforherofblackvelvetpowderedwithcrescentsandsuns. Itscurtainswereofdamask,withleafywreathsandgarlands,figureduponagoldandsilverground, andfringedalongtheedgeswithbroideriesofpearls,anditstoodinaroomhungwithrowsofthequeen’sdevicesincutblackvelvetuponclothofsilver.