Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Gerard;apale-faced,languidyoungman(introducedtoPresleyasJulianLambert)withPresley’scousinBeatrice,oneofthetwindaughtersofMr.andMrs.Cedarquist;hisbrotherStephen,whosehairwasstraightasanIndian’s,butofapallidstrawcolor,withBeatrice’ssister;Gerardhimself,taciturn,bearded,rotund,loudofbreath,escortedMrs.Cedarquist.Besidesthese,therewereoneortwoothercouples,whosenamesPresleydidnotremember.

           Thedining-roomwassuperbinitsappointments.Onthreesidesoftheroom,totheheightofsometenfeet,ranacontinuouspicture,anoilpainting,dividedintolongsectionsbynarrowpanelsofblackoak.ThepaintingrepresentedthepersonagesintheRomauntdelaRose,andwasconceivedinanatmosphereofthemostdelicate,mostephemeralallegory.Onesawyoungchevaliers,blue-eyed,ofelementalbeautyandpurity;womenwithcrowns,goldgirdles,andcloudywimples;younggirls,entrancingintheirloveliness,wearingsnow-whitekerchiefs,theirgoldenhairunboundandflowing,dressedinwhitesamite,bearingarmfulsofflowers;thewholeprocessiondefilingagainstabackgroundofforestglades,venerableoaks,half-hiddenfountains,andfieldsofasphodelandroses.

           Otherwise,theroomwassimple.Againstthesideofthewallunoccupiedbythepicturestoodasideboardofgiganticsize,thatoncehadadornedthebanquethallofanItalianpalaceofthelateRenaissance.Itwasblackwithage,andagainstitssombresurfacesglitteredanarrayofheavysilverdishesandheaviercut-glassbowlsandgoblets.