This villa was long and low and white, and severe after its manner : for upon and about it were none of those playful ebullitions of taste, such as conical towers, domed roofs, embattlements, statues, coloured tiles and crenellations, such as are dear to architects of villas all the world over.

a stingingly malicious insult

The necessary fires alone -- the salamanders and tinner's pots -- had caused dozens of small blazes.

Texas has bluebonnets out the ying yang this time of year.