slowly:

"Do you know, Mr. Pawket, we architects are often a little vague; we
need so much to--er--confer--and--er--ahem!--consult. Now, really, I
should be so interested. Just what are your personal preferences with
regard to the construction of an Italian villa?"

Mr. Pawket was for the moment slightly dazed. He surmised that the
question placed him somewhat at a disadvantage; yet, somehow, it seemed
to him that he knew a good deal about Italian villas. Gathering together
certain impressions derived from the conversation of the twins, from a
picture seen on a calendar, from the one lurid film of his experience,
and from certain opulent descriptions of the building of the Tabernacle,
it seemed to him that he knew a little something about occult species of
architecture. He not immodestly presented his ideas.

"I take it"--squashing ruminatively through puddles--"I take it that the
vanilla idee is kinder intricate, ain't it?--somethin' fancy and grand
like a castle? Two or three cupolos, er course, and all run around with
stoops and balconies; marble staircases inside." Mr. Pawket added this
carelessly as one used to the larger handling of details. "High
sideboards set out in silver in the dinin'-room--a reel handsome
phonnygraft into the front room and statoos on the gateposts."

The architect receiving this preliminary sketch with such silent
respect, Mr. Pawket gained courage and resumed:

"Wall-papers I ain't so sure about." The old farmer took out a large
clasp-knife and, paring his thumb-nail, continued, somewhat loftily: "I
presume that is as the lady of the house commands. Some favors blue, but
there's a many as is great hands for red. I see a house once had dead
animals, stuffed codfish, and shot ducks all over the wall-paper into
the dinin'-room; 'twuz reel tony! As fer the yard--well, I mistrust that
Willum, bein' sociable and always interested into the open air, would
want circular seats around whatever trees was left standin'. Ye could
paint 'em red, white, and blue, ye know. And he'd like a pond, maybe,
with a white swan shovin' back and forth."

* * *

At last came the day when vans of imported laborers arrived and began
quick breaking of ground and laying of foundations on Cedar Plains.
Parts of the superb heating system, the installing of which was the
architect's special care, numerous white bath-tubs--these things were
deposited before the eyes of the excited Mr. Pawket, who, in the absence
of