us to each guest (not the
guests to us!) and they each repeated our names after her like this:

"Lady Chevenix and Lady Valmond, I want to present you to Mrs. Colonel
Prodgers." Then Mrs. Colonel Prodgers repeated, "Lady Chevenix, Lady
Valmond," and so on all down the line, until our poor names rang in our
heads; and Tom and the Senator and the Vicomte just the same. The
company were about seven women besides our hostess, and only three
young, the others verging on forty; and all the men were husbands, whom
the wives spoke of as "Mr." So and So when they mentioned them--just as
the townspeople do when they come out to the Conservative meetings or
bazaars at home; and the husbands did the same. But they do this in New
York even, unless in the very highest set; no man is spoken of by his
wife as "Bob" or "Charlie" or "my husband;" always "Mr." So and So.

Is it not odd, Mamma, that they who are so wonderfully quick and
adaptive should not have noticed that this is a purely middle class
peculiarity? Mr. Purdy had just time to tell us he had paid $40,000 for
a large Dutch picture hanging against the Gothic stone of one panel of
the wall, and $50,000 for a Gainsborough on the next (yes, Mamma, a
beautiful powdered lady in a white robe was smiling down with whimsical
sorrow upon us). Then luncheon was announced and we went in.

The dining-room had been decorated, he told us, a year or two ago, when
taste was even different to what it is now! And he was thinking of
altering it and having it pure Louis XIV. At present it was composed of
saddle-bag coverings, varnished mahogany and a stencilled fleur-de-lys
wall with crossed battle-axes upon it, between pictures and some china
plates, while the table was lit by two huge lamps from the ceiling,
shaded by old gold silk shades with frills. It was as gay as possible,
and the time flew. Here the implements to eat with were more varied and
numerous than even at the Spleists, and the tablecloths more lacy, and
quantities of gold dishes full of almonds and olives and candies and
other nice things, were by one's plate, and one could eat them all
through the meal. Everyone else did, so we did, too, Mamma! and I think
it is a splendid idea. Our host spent his time in telling, first
Octavia, then me, of his fortune and possessions, and how there was no
picture in Europe he could not buy if he wished it, and he intended to
start a gallery. Octavia said he was quite right, as he evidently h