This was approached by four steps carpeted with the same
material, while all round were scattered rich cushions, oriental
mats and costly rugs of fur. The choicest tapestries which the
looms of Arras could furnish draped the walls, whereon the
battles of Judas Maccabaeus were set forth, with the Jewish
warriors in plate of proof, with crest and lance and banderole,
as the naive artists of the day were wont to depict them. A few
rich settles and bancals, choicely carved and decorated with
glazed leather hangings of the sort termed _or basane_, completed
the furniture of the apartment, save that at one side of the dais
there stood a lofty perch, upon which a cast of three solemn
Prussian gerfalcons sat, hooded and jesseled, as silent and
motionless as the royal fowler who stood beside them.
In the centre of the dais were two very high chairs with
dorserets, which arched forwards over the heads of the occupants,
the whole covered with light-blue silk thickly powdered with
golden stars. On that to the right sat a very tall and well
formed man with red hair, a livid face, and a cold blue eye,
which had in it something peculiarly sinister and menacing.
Pages:
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373