Close Up Those Barren Leaves (Mrs. Aldwinkle and the Palazzo)

Luigi Speranza

"Close up those barren leaves;
Come forth, and bring with you a heart
That watches and receives."
---- Wordsworth

Huxley.

Stripping the pretensions of those who claim a spot among the culturally elite, it is the story of Mrs. Aldwinkle and her entourage, who are gathered in an Italian palace to relive the glories of the Renaissance.

For all their supposed sophistication, they are nothing but sad and superficial individuals in the final analysis.