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More oxford books @ www.OxfordeBook.comFore more urdu books visit www.4Urdu.com108FROM NOVELIST TO PHILOSOPHER, 1944–1957of Los Angeles would boom in the postwar years once the price of gasdeclined. The distant ranch would appreciate sharply in value, he correctlygambled. Previously home to the director Joseph von Sternbergand the actress Marlene Dietrich, the house was extraordinary by anymeasure. Rand’s office was on the ground floor, with glass doors thatopened to a private patio. The master bedroom was set apart on theupstairs floor. Adjoining it was a mirrored bathroom and a roof poolthat Frank filled with exotic fish. The open two-story living room wasan arresting space, painted brilliant blue and dominated by a toweringphilodendron tree with leaves that Frank meticulously polished.Birds flew in and out of the house, and outside was a spacious patio thatcould hold two hundred people. The house was encircled by a goldfishfilledmoat, lined by Japanese hyacinths. “Elemental in form, dynamicin color . . . designed for sun, steel and sky,” enthused House and Gardenin a four-page spread about the property that prominently featured Aynand Frank. 20The house meant far more to Frank than an investment. Reinventinghimself as a gentleman farmer, he grew lush gardens on their land andraised a flock of peacocks. In true individualist fashion the birds werenot shut up in cages but flew shrieking about the property. Frank’sagricultural dabbling soon revealed a true talent for horticulture. Thefields filled with bamboo, chestnuts, pomegranate trees, and blackberrybushes. In a greenhouse he bred delphiniums and gladiolas and over theyears developed two new hybrids, one called Lipstick and another calledHalloween. He supervised a small staff of Japanese gardeners and in thehigh season opened a roadside vegetable stand to sell excess produce.After one of his employees taught him flower arranging he began sellinggladiolas to Los Angeles hotels. 21 No longer living in Rand’s shadow,Frank’s talents drew admiration from his neighbors and customers.Within the household, however, Frank continued to carefully defer toAyn. Deep in concentration, she was often shocked to discover that hehad silently glided into the house to tend the flowers or deliver the latestcrop. At her request he agreed to wear a small bell on his shoe so shecould hear him come and go. The rhythm of daily life revolved aroundher writing. She worked in the downstairs study with her door firmlyshut and instructions to be left alone. A few days a week a secretary camein and took dictation. The house was large enough to accommodate