Leda'; and in the beautiful work of Sir William Gell, the reader will
find an engraving from that most delicate and graceful painting of Leda
presenting her newborn to her husband, from which the room derives its
name. This charming apartment opened upon the fragrant garden. Round
the table of citrean wood, highly polished and delicately wrought with
silver arabesques, were placed the three couches, which were yet more
common at Pompeii than the semicircular seat that had grown lately into
fashion at Rome: and on these couches of bronze, studded with richer
metals, were laid thick quiltings covered with elaborate broidery, and
yielding luxuriously to the pressure.

'Well, I must own,' said the aedile Pansa, 'that your house, though
scarcely larger than a case for one's fibulae, is a gem of its kind.
How beautifully painted is that parting of Achilles and Briseis!--what a
style!--what heads!--what a-hem!'

'Praise from Pansa is indeed valuable on such subjects,' said Clodius,
gravely. 'Why, the paintings on his walls!--Ah! there is, indeed, the
hand of a Zeuxis!'

'You flatter me, my Clodius; indeed you do,' quoth the aedile, who was
celebrated through Pompeii for having the worst paintings in the world;
for he was patriotic, and patronized none but Pompeians. 'You flatter
me; but there is something pretty--AEdepol, yes--in the colors, to say
nothing of the design--and then for the kitchen, my friends--ah! that
was all my fancy.'

'What is the design?' said Glaucus. 'I have not yet seen your kitchen,
though I have often witnessed the excellence of its cheer.'