d done things too. Nevertheless, in his own
estimation, he was the master, the Can Grande. He could at will, "take
us up or leave us out," or so he thought. We were mere toys, fine
feathers, cap-and-bell artists. It was nice to, "take us around," have
us with him. Smothered in a great richly braided fur coat and fur cap,
he looked as much the Grand Duke as one might wish.

But I liked him, truly. And what a delicious evening and holiday, all
told, he made of it for us. By leaving a trail of frightened horses, men
and women, and tearing through the gloom as though streets were his
private race-track--I myself as much frightened as any at the roaring
speed of the cars and the possibilities of the road--we arrived at
seven, and by eight were seated to a course dinner of the most
gratifying character. There was no heat in the house as yet, but from
somewhere great logs had been obtained and now blazed in the large
fireplaces. There was no electricity as yet--a private plant was being
installed--but candles and lamps blazed in lovely groups, casting a soft
glow over the great rooms. One room lacked a door, but an immense rug
took its place. There were rugs, hangings and paintings in profusion,
many of them as yet unhung. Some of the most interesting importations of
furniture and statuary were still in the cases in which they had
arrived, with marks of ships and the names of foreign cities upon the
cases. Scattered about the great living-room, dining-room, music-room
and library were enough rugs, divans and chairs as well as musical
instruments--a piano among others--to give the place an air of
completeness and luxury. The walls and ceilings had already been
decorated--in a most florid manner, I must say. Outside were great
balconies and verandahs commanding, as the following morning proved, a
very splendid view of a very bleak sea. The sand dunes! The distant
floor of the sea! The ships! Upstairs were nine suites of one- and
two-rooms and bath. The basement was an intricate world of kitchen,
pantry, engine-room, furnace, wine cellars and what not. Outside was a
tawny waste of sand held together in places in the form of hummocks and
even concealing hills by sand-binding grasses.

That night, because it was windy and dull and bleak, we stayed inside, I
for one going outside only long enough to discover that there were great
wide verandahs of concrete about the house, fit for great entertainments
in themselves, and near at han