Douglas Darden laughter was the laughter of three young girls, who were, in essence, their clients: the fourteen year-old twins, Cass and Polly, and their nineteen-year-old friend, Helen. Cass and Polly are most likely feminized renderings of the celestial twins of Greek mythology, Castor and Pollux (better known as Gemini), and their sister, Helen of Troy. Many of his original sketches and drawings for Oxygen House are now owned by the Museum of Modern Art, along with a select few of "Sex Shop" drawings; gifts of Darden's widow. The remainder of his drawings are held at the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts
Castor et Pollux of love, subdues Mars, god of war, with the help of Minerva. In the 1754 revision, the prologue was eliminated. Background note: Castor and Pollux are famous heroes. Despite being twin brothers, one of them (Pollux) is immortal and the other (Castor) is mortal. They are both in love with the princess Telaira (Télaïre), but she loves only Castor. The twins have fought a war against an enemy king, Lynceus (Lyncée) which has resulted in disaster: Castor has been slain. The opera opens with his funeral rites. Telaira expresses her grief to her friend Phoebe (Phébé) in "Tristes apprêts", one