22课
UNIT5 The Fraud Flushed with excitement, Kate stepped into the spatial vestibule and was immediately dazzled by the scene before her. The inlaid marble floor paved the way to a circular staircase rising three levels above her. In a fountain in the center of the entryway stood a bronze dolphin balancing on its tail, its snout pointed to the lofty domed, stained glass skylight forty feet above. A massive chandelier, luminous in the bright sunlight, cast rainbow fairies dancing through the pink, green, and gold floral patterns of the floor and around the snowy white walls. Before she could fully appreciate the beauty of the intricate plaster work decorating the edges of the shallow niches installed in the walls to frame the numerous paintings, or, indeed, to appreciate the canvases themselves, her host, Victor Stone, approached. Small by North American standards, he was perfectly proportioned. Slightly balding at the forehead, his silver hair curved onto the collar of his pale blue shirt at the nape of his neck. Laughing blue eyes startled her with their clarity. A straight, aristocratic nose rose to meet his slightly arched brows. His carefully manicured hands bore a single gold pinkie ring. He held out his hand to take hers. Thank you so much for coming, Kate. I am glad you could make it, he said cheerfully. She had never met this charming little man before and knew him by reputation only. Among his contemporaries, he was known as a shrewd entrepreneur, able to diagnose at a glance, the prospects of those seeking his backing. She was anxious to learn why he had invited her to come to meet him at his home. Thanks for asking me. Nice place you have here. She felt stupid saying something so absurd, but she was, at that moment, stumped. Her ego wouldn't let her admit she'd never in her whole life, been so impressed by a foyer. She hoped that he would realize she'd had little experience with the elite, take pity on her, and show her around. Would you like to see more of the house? he asked, politely. Would I? You bet! She was happy he gave no indication that he thought she was not in his bracket. She left her briefcase on the settee near the door and followed him through the foyer to a stairway to a stairway leading to a lower level of the house. They began the tour in the wine cellar. A heavy, double thick door opened to reveal row upon row of gleaming glass bottles of vintage wines, all lying on their sides, cradled by the solid oak racks. The steady hum of machinery broke the silence of the insulated room. Victor explained that it was necessary to control the ventilation, temperature and humidity of the cellar to achieve optimum conditions for conserving the flavors of the expensive wines. The small but luxurious audio-visual theater was adjacent to the wine cellar. Leather upholstered reclining chairs were casually arrayed about the room, all with an unimpaired view of the retractable screen. The stereo, silent at that moment, was stateoftheart, with speakers tactically installed for maximizing sound effects. Black walnut wood paneling and a baffled ceiling averted the possibility of overly loud entertainment disturbing others in the mansion. Sliding glass doors led from the lowest level of the living area to the enclosed kidneyshaped swimming pool. Turquoise and white ceramic tiles outlined with gold covered the deck area. Pillars of quartz topped with milk glass spheres provided illumination should anyone choose to swim after dark. A changing booth was discretely hidden behind a screen of ornamental floor plants and cascading vines. Here, too, a baffled ceiling prevented the hollow resonance of the pool room from disturbing others. At the moment, the games room was arranged for gambling. An authentic roulette wheel, a craps table for dice, and various card tables were set up for a benefit evening that was being held the following night. Checkers, chess and other board games augmented the games of chance. Comfortable furniture and soft lighting lent a romantic atmosphere to the terrace garden. Kate had noticed earlier that Victor had a slight limp. As they progressed on their tour, she realized he was quite lame on the right side and needed to rest. They sat to chat for a few minutes. How much do you know about me, Kate? he asked. Only what I've read. And what I have discerned in the past half an hour. I think you are a man who has made your home into a diversion from the real world. Your taste is implicit, subtle. Everything I have seen has been chosen with a keen eye, not to overwhelm, but to invite. I think you choose things for their intrinsic value, things that are esthetically pleasing to you. I don't think there could be an imitation or a fake item in this whole place. You love your home and enjoy sharing it with others. Am I right? You are perceptive! Come. Lets go to the sitting room and have a cocktail. He led the way back into the library with its mahogany shelves filled with leather bound matched sets of first editions and volumes of encyclopedia. On a study table under a reading lamp an illuminated manuscript with gold metallic page edging was lying open to display its vibrant art. Kate felt compelled to mention this beautiful piece. He said an obscure monk during the Renaissance had copied and illustrated the Book of Revelations. It had been quite shabby when it first came into his possession but he had it restored and planned to donate it to a museum. The door to a powder room stood ajar. Inside Kate noticed, again, the careful attention to detail manifest in the rest of the house. The doorknob was hand painted porcelain. The ivorycolored fixtures were shell-shaped and gold-trimmed. A large bowl of sweetly scented flowers was centered on the vanity. Next to the flowers sat a piece of hand-carved fossilized ebony. Kate was stunned by the size of the spacious sitting room. Several groupings of furniture lent themselves to seating as few as two guests or as many as ten. Here, too, ornamental plasterwork decorated the walls and ceilings. The raspberry colored velvet upholstery covering the couches and chairs complemented the pale green oriental carpets and lightly textured draperies. The gold-colored lamps with their creamy white shades, the paintings in their ornate alcoves, and the open fireplace with family pictures on the mantel, gave Kate an overwhelming feeling of comfort and peace. |
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