The seated throng, filling the immense room without undue crowding, presented a surface of rich tissues and jewelled shoulders in harmony with the festooned and gilded walls, and the flushed splendours of the Venetian ceiling.

At the farther end of the room a stage had been constructed behind a proscenium arch curtained with folds of old damask; but in the pause before the parting of the folds there was little thought of what they might reveal, for every woman who had accepted Mrs.Bry's invitation was engaged in trying to find out how many of her friends had done the same.
Gerty Farish, seated next to Selden, was lost in that indiscriminate and uncritical enjoyment so irritating to Miss Bart's finer perceptions.

It may be that Selden's nearness had something to do with the quality of his cousin's pleasure; but Miss Farish was so little accustomed to refer her enjoyment of such scenes to her own share in them, that she was merely conscious of a deeper sense of contentment.
"Wasn't it dear of Lily to get me an invitation?
Of course it would never have occurred to Carry Fisher to put me on the list, and I should have been so sorry to miss seeing it all--and especially Lily herself.

Some one told me the ceiling was by Veronese--you would know, of course, Lawrence.

I suppose it's very beautiful, but his women are so dreadfully fat.