surrounding the panels were like little flames of ruddy strands of

loosened hair, and they half covered the wide nakedness of the room

while they emphasized its pale, voluptuous tone. Then over against

him there was the gold and silver bed, which shone in all the fresh

splendor of its chiseled workmanship, a throne this of sufficient

extent for Nana to display the outstretched glory of her naked

limbs, an altar of Byzantine sumptuousness, worthy of the almighty

puissance of Nana's sex, which at this very hour lay nudely