or behind her。 Yes； it was quite five minutes； or more； before Oliver clattered down…stairs after his guests； stopping but once to look up through the banisters into Margaret's eyesshe was leaning over for the purposehis open hand held up toward her as a sign that it was always at her command。
CHAPTER XXIII
MR。 MUNSON'S LOST FOIL
For a quiet； orderly； well behaved and most dignified street； Tenth Street； at seven o'clock one April night was disgracing itself in a way that must have shocked its inhabitants。 Cabs driving like mad were rattling over the cobbles； making their way toward the old Studio Building。 Policemen were shouting to the drivers to keep in line。 Small boys were darting in and out； peering into the cab windows and calling out to their fellows： 〃Ki Jimmy！ see de Ingin wid de fedder…duster on his head〃or； 〃Look at de pill in de yaller shirt！ My eye； ain't he a honey… cooler！〃
At the entrance of the building； just inside the door where the crowd was thickest； stood two men in armor with visors downstood so still； that the boys and bystanders thought they had been borrowed from some bric…a…brac shop until； in an unguarded moment； one plumed knight rested his tired leg with a rattling noise that sounded like a tin…peddler shifting his pack or the adjustment of a length of stovepipe。 Behind the speechless sentinels； leading into the narrow corridor； stretched a red carpet bordered by rows of palms and evergreens and hung about with Chinese lanterns。
At the end of this carpet opened a door that looked into a banquet hall as rich in color and as sumptuous in its interior fittings as an audience… chamber of the Doges at a time when Venice ruled the world。 The walls were draped with Venetian silks and Spanish velvets； against which were placed Moorish plaques； Dutch brass sconces holding clusters of candles； barbaric spears； bits of armor； pairs of fencing foils； old cabinets； and low； luxurious divans。 Thrust up into the skylight； its gaff festooned with trawl…nets； drooped a huge sloop's sail； its graceful folds breaking the square lines of the ceiling； and all about； suspended on long filigree chains； swung old church…lamps of brass or silver； burning ruby tapers。
In the centre of this glow of color stood a round table； its top covered with a white cloth； and laid with covers for fifty guests。 On this were placed； in orderly confusion； great masses of flowers heard up in rare porcelain vases； silver candelabra bearing lighted candles； old Antwerp brass holding bon…bons and sweets； Venetian flagons filled with rare wines； Chinese and Japanese curios doing service as ash… receivers and match…safes； Delft platters for choice dishes； besides Flemish mugs； Bavarian glasses； George III。 silver； and the like。
At the head of this sumptuous board was placed a chair of state； upholstered in red velvet； studded with brass rosettes； the corners of its high back surmounted by two upright gilt ornaments。 This was to hold the Master of the Feast； the presiding officer who was to govern the merry spirits during the hours of the revel。 In front of this royal chair was a huge stone mug crowned with laurel。 This was guarded by two ebony figures； armed with drawn scimitars； which stood at each side of the throne…seat。 From these guards of honor radiated two half…circles of lesser chairs； one for each guestof all patterns and periods： old Spanish altar…seats in velvet； Dutch chairs in leather； Italian chairs in mother…of…pearl and ivoryall armless and quite low； so low that the costumed slaves； who were to wait on the royal assembly； could serve the courses without having to reach over the backs of the guests。
Moving about the room； rearranging the curios on the cabinets； adding a bit of porcelain to the collection on the table； shifting the lights for better effect； lounging on the wide divans； or massed about the doorway welcoming the new arrivals as they entered； were Italian nobles of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries； costumed with every detail correct； even to the jewelled daggers that hung at their sides； all genuine and of the period； cardinals in red hats and wonderful church robes； the candle…grease of the altar still clinging to their skirts； Spanish grandees in velvet and brocade； Indian rajahs in baggy silk trousers and embroidered waistcoats； with Kohinoors flashing from their turbansnot genuine this time but brilliant all the same； Shakespeares； Dantes （one of each）； besides courtiers； nobles； gallants； and gentry of various climes and periods。
All this splendor of appointment； all these shaded candles； hanging…lamps； Venetian glass； antique furniture； rich costumes； Japanese curios； and assorted bric…a…brac； were gathered together and arranged thus sumptuously to add charm and lustre to a banquet given by the Stone Mugs to those of their friends most distinguished in their several professions of art； literature； and music。
Indeed any banquet the Club gave was sure to be as unique as it was artistic。
Sometimes it would be held in the hold of an abandoned vessel left high and dry on a lonely beach； which； under the deft touches of the artists of the Club； would be transformed in a night to the cabin of a buccaneer filled with the loot of a treasure ship。 Sometimes a canal boat； which the week before had been loaded with lime or potatoes； would be scoured out with a fire…hose； its deck roofed with awnings and hung with lanterns； its hatches lined with palms； and in the hold below a table spread of such surprising beauty； and in an interior so gorgeous in its appointments that each guest； as he descended the carpeted staircase leading from the deck above to the carpeted keelson below； would rub his eyes wondering whether he had not been asleep； and had suddenly awakened aboard Cleopatra's barge。
Again the club would hold a Roman feast in one of Solari's upstairs roomsthe successor to Riley's of the old dayseach man speaking ancient Latin with Tenth Street terminals； the servants dressed in tunics and sandals； and the members in togas。 Or they would make a descent at midnight on Fulton Market and have their tomcods scooped from the fish… boxes alive and broiled to their liking while they waited； or they would take possession of Brown's or Farrish's for mugs of ale and English chops。 But it was always one so different from any other function of its class that it formed the topic of the studios for weeks thereafter。
To…night it was the humor of the club to reproduce as closely as possible； with the limited means at their disposalfor none of the Stone Mugs were rolling in wealth； nor did these functions require itsome one of the great banquets of former times； not to be historically or chronologically correct； but to express the artistic atmosphere of such an occasion。
That there were certain unavoidable and easily detected shams under all this glamour of color and form did not lessen the charm of the present function。
Everybody； of course； knew before the evening was over； or could have found out had he tried； that the two knights in armor who guarded the side…walk entrance to this royal chamber； and who had been the target of the street…rats until they took their places at the inside door； were respectively Mr。 Patrick McGinnis； who tended the furnace in the basement of the Tenth Street Studio Building； stripped for the occasion down to his red flannels； and Signore Luigi Bennelli； his Italian assistant。
A closer inspection of the two ebony blackamoors； with drawn scimitars； who guarded the royal chair at the head of the table； would have revealed the fact that they were not made of ebony at all； but of veritable flesh and bloodthe blackamoor on the right being none other than Black Sam； the bootblack who shined shoes on the corner of the avenue； and his bloodthirsty pal on the left the kinky…haired porter who served the grocer next door； the only 〃HONEST〃 thing about either of them； to quote Waller； being the artistic clothes that they stood in。
Further investigation would have shown that every one of the wonderful things that made glad and glorious the big square room on the ground floor of the building； from the brass sconces on the walls to the hanging church lamps； with everything that their lights fell upon； had been gathered up that same morning from the several homes and studios of the members by old black Jerry； the official carman of the Academy； and had been dumped in an indiscriminate heap on the floor of the banquet hall； where they had been disentangled and arranged by half a dozen painters of the club； that the table and table cloth had been borrowed from Solari's； that the very rare and fragrant old Chianti； the club's private stock； was from Solari's own cellars via Duncan's； the grocer； and that the dinner itself was cooked and served by that distinguished boniface himself； assisted by half a dozen of his own waiters； each one wearing an original Malay costume selected from Stedman's collection and used by him in his great picture of the Sepoy mutiny。
Moreover there was not the slightest doubt that the 〃Ingin；〃 who was now bowing so gravely to the master of ceremonies； was no other than the distinguished Mr。 Thomas Brandon Waller； himself； 〃N。A。； Knight of the Legion of Honor； Pupil of Piloty； etc。； etc。；〃 that the high…class mandarin in the sacred yellow robe and peacock feather who accompanied him； was Crug the 'cellist； that the bald… headed gentleman with the pointed beard； who looked the exact presentment of the divine William； was Munson； and that the gay young gallant in the Spanish costume was none other than our Oliver。 The other nobles； cavaliers； and hidalgos were the less known members of the club； who； in their desire to make the occasion a success； had fitted themselves to their costumes instead of attempting to fit the costumes to themselves； with the difference that each man not only looked the character he assumed but assumed the character he looked。
But no one； even the most knowing； no student of costumes； no reader of faces； no discerner of character； no acute observer of manners and timesin glancing over the motley company would have thought for one instant that； in all this atmosphere of real unrealism；