"Well, it's a courtesy title," I said, "but really in these hard times
we have reduced economy to such a fine art that I thought a wall-paper
with body in it might help matters."

"I think I catch the idea," said the marquis. "Something that would make
you feel more satisfied after dinner than you otherwise would feel, as
it were."

"My dear Sir," I said, "you have hit it exactly. Yours is a sympathetic
nature. How readily you have divined my thoughts! No doubt you too are
suffering."

He sighed almost audibly. "How is the room furnished?" he said.

"Leading features," I said, "a Welsh dresser, rush-bottomed chairs,
gate-legged table, bookcases--"

"Saxe-blue carpet," said Alison.

"A most important detail," Lord Bayswater said. "Don't you think
something of a chintzy nature would ... etc."

Both Alison and I agreed that a prescription of that kind might possibly
... etc.

I don't know what is comprised under the term chintzy, but it appeared
to be a comprehensive one, for the nobleman descanted on the merits of
the following patterns among others:--

(1) Cockatoos on trees, cockatooing.