rble steps that led to
the altar, was spread a rug, and upon this stood an ebony reading-desk
where a prayer-book rested. Filling a niche in the wall on the left
side, the gilded pipes of an organ rose to meet a marble console that
supported a Greek cross.

In order to secure an unobstructed vista from the front door, that
portion of the building which corresponded to the ancient tablinum, was
used merely as an aviary, where handsome brass cages of various shapes
showed through their burnished wires snowy cockatoos, gaudy paroquets,
green and gold canaries, flaming red and vivid blue birds, and one huge
white owl, whose favorite perch when allowed his freedom, was a bronze
Pallas on a projecting bracket.

Conspicuous among these, was a peculiar cage made of tortoise shell,
ivory and silver wire, which Leo had assigned to a scarlet-crested,
crimson-throated Australian cockatoo. Beyond this undraped rear
vestibule stretched the peristyle, a parallelogram, surrounded by a
lofty colonnade. The centre of this space was adorned by a rockery
whence a fountain rose; flower beds of brilliant annuals and coleus
encircled it like a mosaic, and the ground was studded with orange and
lemon trees, banana and pineapple plants; while at the farther side
delicate exotic grape vines were trained from column to column.

In summer this beautiful court was entirely open to the sky, but at the
approach of winter a movable framework of iron pillars was erected,
which supported a glass roof, that sloped southward, and garnered heat
and sunshine. Neither chimneys nor fireplaces were visible, but a
hidden furnace thoroughly warmed the entire house, and in each
apartment the registers represented braziers of classic design.

Except for the external entrances, doors had been abolished; portieres
of plush, satin, and Oriental silk closed all openings in winter; and
during long sultry Southern summers were replaced by draperies of lace,
and wicker-work screens where growing ivy and smilax trained their cool
green leaves, and graceful tendrils. Wooden floors had accompanied the
doors to Coventry; and everywhere squares of marble, and lemon and blue
tiles showed shimmering surfaces between the costly rugs, and fur robes
scattered lavishly about the rooms. Surrounded by a gilded wreath of
olive leaves, and incised on an architrave fronting the vestibule, the
golden "Salve" greeted visitors; just beneath it, on an antique shaped
table of topaz-veine