Francois Boucher The Marquise de Pompadour painting

Francois Boucher The Marquise de Pompadour paintingFrancois Boucher Nude on a Sofa paintingAndrea del Sarto The Sacrifice of Abraham painting
which they think would be conspicuous in the more public rooms. I took Thurston there.
“Snug little place,” he said, surveying this dismal place. “O.K. if I smoke?”
“Perfectly.”
“Have one?”
“No thank you.”
He lit a cigarette, drew a deep breath of smoke, gazed at the ceiling and, as though coming to the point, said, “Quite like the old Wimpole.”
My heart sank. “Mr. Thurston,” I said, “you have surely not troubled to come here simply in order to talk to me about your club.”
“No. But you see it’s rather awkward. Don’t exactly know how to begin. I thought I might lead up to it naturally. But I realize that your time’s valuable, Mr. Plant, so I may as well admit right out that I owe you an apology.”
“Yes?”
“Yes. I’m here under false pretences. My name isn’t Thurston.”
“No?”
“No. I’d better tell you who I am, hadn’t I?”