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Show 58 only as obsequious rudeness. At one moment she was sure he was impudent, at the next she was confused by so delicately defusing a politeneness that she attributed her feelings to migraine. Among the Japanese he was tyrannical, and the other houseboys hated him, accepting his self-awarded superiority with stoicism. It was another disruption of the ancient morality, like the demotion of the Emperor. In a moment Tbmo returned with a tray. He set it down and disappeared again, while Smead set to work preparing the drinks. The coffee-table was small, and the tray crowded; spilling one of the mixes he swore briefly, and Ellen felt called on to apologize. "We'll be so glad to get the living-room done. Than we won't have this mess." "What are you doing?" Smead spoke up. "the whole bit - - walls, floors, windows. Want to see? It's far enough along to give an idea." And setting the drinks aside he rose, walked to the screen and pushed it aside. The Wilsons were startled. The room opened out into a series of airy terraces, each giving onto the other at a pleasant, easy angle. The walls had been panelled in a fine, light-colored wood, the sliding-doors edged with gold trim, thin enough to seem a fine throwaway delicacy. "Lovely!" said Louise. "We like it," said Ellen. |