His pleasure in the company and the atmosphere increased. Everything
about him made a strong appeal to good taste. At the end of the room,
opposite the fireplace, stood a vast sideboard, upon which china and
glass, arranged in harmonious groups, shone and glittered. The broad
shelves or niches in the walls held much cut glass, which now and then
threw back from many facets the ruddy light of the fire. Before sitting
down, they had dipped their hands in a basin of white china filled with
water, and standing beside the door, and that too had pleased Robert's
fastidious taste.
At their table each of the three found an immaculate white napkin, a
large white china plate and goblet, knife, fork and spoon, all of
silver, polished to the last degree. Again Robert's nature responded and
he looked at himself in his fine dress in the glittering silver of the
goblet. Then his right hand stole down and caressed the hilt of his
rapier. He felt himself very much of a gentleman, very much of a
chevalier, fit to talk on equal terms with St.
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