Then came men with canvas for floors, bronzes and jardinieres and somebody's family portraits from an auction-room, chairs and sofas and draperies from an upholsterer's.
The night before the event itself I announced my intention of staying in our own drawing-room the whole of the next day.

"I am more interested in Patricia's debut," I said, "than anything else that can possibly happen in London.

What if it should be wet, and won't it be annoying if it is a cold night and they draw the heavy curtains close together ?" But it was beautiful day, almost too warm for a ball, and the heavy curtains were not drawn.

The family did not court observation; it was serenely unconscious of such a thing.

As to our side of the street, I think we may have been the only people at all interested in the affair now so imminent.