Some of these rooms were
lined with fine _brocatelle_, imported from France, Italy, China, and
Japan, the latter conspicuous for their fantastical drawing and
patterns; others with Persian and Indian cloths; and the several pieces
of furniture were of unexceptionable taste. Some were inlaid with gold,
bronze, or china; some were made up of rosewood, artistically carved.
Gems of art and curiosities of every description were displayed upon
_etageres_; and through the house, made bright as day by hundreds of
gaslights, one walked on soft, smooth carpets of the best manufactures
of Europe. They alone were worth a fortune.
Amazed at such luxury, exceeding that of many a patrician family in
Europe, I thought our Amphitryon was either one of those wealthy
merchants whose ships carry the American flag over the broad ocean, or
those manufacturers who build up enormous fortunes at the expense of
the public.
'You are mistaken,' said Asmodeus. 'We will call, by and by, on one of
those merchant-princes you allude to. For the present we are in the
house of one of Juno's priestesses. You are aware, Juno was called
Lucina when she superintended the birth of children. But the lady who
has welcomed us so kindly is far from assisting in the birth of
children; her calling, on the contrary, is to prevent it; she practices
infanticide every day, and it is by carrying on this business she has
obtained the wealth she is making so great a display of.
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