High pieces of furniture, of black violet ebony inlaid with brass, supported upon their wide shelves a great number of books uniformly bound.

They followed the shape of the room, terminating at the lower part in huge divans, covered with brown leather, which were curved, to afford the greatest comfort.

Light movable desks, made to slide in and out at will, allowed one to rest one's book while reading.

In the centre stood an immense table, covered with pamphlets, amongst which were some newspapers, already of old date.

The electric light flooded everything; it was shed from four unpolished globes half sunk in the volutes of the ceiling.