England -- Fiction; Fathers and daughters -- Fiction; Sisters -- Fiction
Long before they had finished his pictures had arrived from London, and
several pieces of furniture from Brighton. The ideas of this young
man were now in full revolt against oriental draperies and things from
Japan. The furniture was, therefore, to consist of large cane sofas with
pillows covered with a yellow chintz pattern which pleased him much.
The selection of a carpet was a matter of great moment. He received with
scornful smiles his upholsterer's suggestions of Persian rugs. Turkey,
Smyrna, and Axminster were proposed and rejected, he even thought of
an Aubusson--no one knew anything about Aubusson at Southwick, and the
vivid blues and yellows and symmetrical design would have at least the
merit of disturbing if not of wrecking the artistic opinions of
his friends. He discovered one of these carpets in a back street in
Brighton, and with some cleaning and mending he felt sure it could be
made to look quite well. But no, if you have an Aubusson carpet you must
have Louis XIV. furniture in the room, and Louis XIV. in Southwick would
be too absurd. Clearly the Aubusson scheme must be abandoned--he would
have a rich grey carpet, soft and woolly, and there should be a round
table covered with a dark blue cloth, set off with a yellow margin, and
the chairs drawn about the table should be covered with dark blue and
painted yellow. A grand piano was indispensable in Frank's surroundings,
both for its appearance in the studio and the relaxation it afforded in
the various interludes. Several journeys to London were made before the
lamps to be used were determined on (a modern design was essential), and
the brass fittings to hang candles from the rafters required still more
delicate and cautious consideration; at last it was decided to have
none.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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