CHAPTER THREE
With the express design of familiarizing myself with my new mode of life, I had no guests, and went but once or twice to town, during the first month of “Sans Souci.” I wished to get upon terms of intimacy with my rooms, to tame my chairs, to have my wall-papers come to me when I called them and feed out of my hand. As it was, everything in the place seemed to be standing at attention, prepared to salute me when I should pass. All my cushions behaved like débutantes: not one had the easy air of repose which comes with a second season or a third. The furniture, without exception, was formal in manner, and almost disapproving. I could not even fall back with confidence upon my bed, which as yet received me with a certain discouraging rig-
