Accordingly he was shown up into the drawing-room, where on the writing-table was laid an open blotting-book.

Even in so small a detail as a blotting-book the careful appointment of the house was evident, for the blotting-paper was absolutely clean and white, a virgin field.
Mr.Taynton took up a quill pen, thought over for a moment the wording of his note and then wrote rapidly.

A single side of notepaper was sufficient; he blotted it on the pad, and read it through.

But something in it, it must be supposed, did not satisfy him, for he crumpled it up.
Ah, at last and for the first time there was a flaw in the appointment of the house, for there was no wastepaper basket by the table.

At any rate one must suppose that Mr.Taynton did not see it, for he put his rejected sheet into his pocket.
He took another sheet of paper, selecting from the various stationery that stood in the case a plain piece, rejecting that which was marked with the address of the house, wrote his own address at the head, and proceeded for the second time to write his note of invitation.
But first he changed the quill for his own stylograph, and wrote with that.