An Almost Perfect House

Dolly, Minerva, Mabel, and Iffy tour Mrs. Pierrepont's brownstone house and are unanimously impressed. Despite the general layout of brownstones, four narrow floors and a basement, the rooms are spacious and well-lit by large windows. However, the decor is not what the girls are used to. The walls are covered with dark, ornately-patterned wallpaper in vicious colors. The furniture, which Mrs. P. is leaving with the house, is dark and heavy. Dolly shudders. "I feel like I'm in a frightening novel, like The Mysteries of Udolpho," she whispers to Minerva. "They call this Victorian Gothic, and it's terribly "out"," whispers Mabel. 

Mrs. P. points out every piece of massive furniture and heavily-framed painting with pride. "My late husband had all his favorite paintings copied. He was particularly fond of this one," she said, pointing out The Raft of the Medusa. "It was hung in the dining room, in order to make us grateful for any food we got." Dolly shuddered again.