Портрет Дориана Грея

           LouisXIV.hadgoldembroideredcaryatidesfifteenfeethighinhisapartment. ThestatebedofSobieski,KingofPoland,wasmadeofSmyrnagoldbrocadeembroideredinturquoiseswithversesfromtheKoran. Itssupportswereofsilvergilt,beautifullychased,andprofuselysetwithenamelledandjewelledmedallions. IthadbeentakenfromtheTurkishcampbeforeVienna,andthestandardofMohammedhadstoodbeneaththetremulousgiltofitscanopy. 

           Andso,forawholeyear,hesoughttoaccumulatethemostexquisitespecimensthathecouldfindoftextileandembroideredwork, gettingthedaintyDelhimuslins,finelywroughtwithgold-threadpalmates,andstitchedoverwithiridescentbeetles’wings; theDaccagauzes,thatfromtheirtransparencyareknownintheEastas"wovenair,"and"runningwater,"and"eveningdew"; strangefiguredclothsfromJava; elaborateyellowChinesehangings; booksboundintawnysatinsorfairbluesilks,andwroughtwithfleursdelys,birds,andimages; veilsoflacisworkedinHungarypoint; Sicilianbrocades,andstiffSpanishvelvets; Georgianworkwithitsgiltcoins,andJapaneseFoukousaswiththeirgreen-tonedgoldsandtheirmarvellously-plumagedbirds. 

           Hehadaspecialpassion,also,forecclesiasticalvestments,asindeedhehadforeverythingconnectedwiththeserviceoftheChurch. Inthelongcedarcheststhatlinedthewestgalleryofhishousehehadstoredawaymanyrare andbeautifulspecimensofwhatisreallytheraimentoftheBrideofChrist,whomustwearpurpleandjewelsandfinelinen thatshemayhidethepallidmaceratedbodythatiswornbythesufferingthatsheseeksfor,andwoundedbyself-inflictedpain.