TheCountessOlenskahadsaid "afterfive"; andathalfafterthehourNewlandArcherrangthebellofthepeelingstuccohousewithagiantwisteriathrottlingitsfeeblecast-ironbalcony, whichshehadhired, fardownWestTwenty-thirdStreet, fromthevagabondMedora.
-makers, bird-stuffersand "peoplewhowrote" werehernearestneighbours; andfurtherdownthedishevelledstreetArcherrecognisedadilapidatedwoodenhouse, attheendofapavedpath, inwhichawriterandjournalistcalledWinsett, whomheusedtocomeacrossnowandthen, ; buthehadoncepointeditouttoArcherinthecourseofanocturnalstroll, andthelatterhadaskedhimself, withalittleshiver, ifthehumanitiesweresomeanlyhousedinothercapitals.
MadameOlenska'sowndwellingwasredeemedfromthesameappearanceonlybyalittlemorepaintaboutthewindow-frames; andasArchermustereditsmodestfronthesaidtohimselfthatthePolishCountmusthaverobbedherofherfortuneaswellasofherillusions.
, , totellherhowenchantingshehadlookedthenightbefore, andhowproudhewasofher, , and, whenhehintedatadvancingthedateofthewedding, hadraisedreproachfuleye-browsandsighedout: "Twelvedozenofeverything—hand-embroidered—"
Packedinthefamilylandautheyrolledfromonetribaldoorsteptoanother, andArcher, whentheafternoon'sroundwasover, ; butwhenherememberedthattheWellandsdidnotexpecttheweddingtotakeplacetillthefollowingautumn, andpicturedwhathislifewouldbetillthen, adampnessfelluponhisspirit.
