Bosinney began to walk about, and Soames did not like the expression on
his face.
"The principle of this house," said the architect, "was that you should
have room to breathe--like a gentleman!"
Soames extended his finger and thumb, as if measuring the extent of the
distinction he should acquire; and replied:
"Oh! yes; I see."
The peculiar look came into Bosinney's face which marked all his
enthusiasms.
"I've tried to plan you a house here with some self-respect of its own.
If you don't like it, you'd better say so. It's certainly the last
thing to be considered--who wants self-respect in a house, when you can
squeeze in an extra lavatory?" He put his finger suddenly down on the
left division of the centre oblong: "You can swing a cat here. This is
for your pictures, divided from this court by curtains; draw them
back and you'll have a space of fifty-one by twenty-three six. This
double-faced stove in the centre, here, looks one way towards the court,
one way towards the picture room; this end wall is all window; You've
a southeast light from that, a north light from the court. The rest of
your pictures you can hang round the gallery upstairs, or in the other
rooms." "In architecture," he went on--and though looking at Soames he
did not seem to see him, which gave Soames an unpleasant feeling--"as
in life, you'll get no self-respect without regularity.
Pages:
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151