Its dark front presented no marked architectural character, and in the flickering light of a street lamp it looked a little as though it had gone down in the world.

The greater then was my surprise to enter a hall paved in black and white marble and in its dimness appearing of palatial proportions.
Mr.Blunt did not turn up the small solitary gas-jet, but led the way across the black and white pavement past the end of the staircase, past a door of gleaming dark wood with a heavy bronze handle.

It gave access to his rooms he said; but he took us straight on to the studio at the end of the passage.
It was rather a small place tacked on in the manner of a lean-to to the garden side of the house.

A large lamp was burning brightly there.

The floor was of mere flag-stones but the few rugs scattered about though extremely worn were very costly.