to fall on a wrong
pronunciation; for M. Jansoulet, on two separate occasions, sent word
to me to pay more attention to the names that were given to me, and
especially to announce in a more natural manner. This remark, uttered
aloud before the whole vestibule with a certain roughness, annoyed me
greatly, and prevented me--shall I confess it?--from pitying this rich
_parvenu_ when I learned, in the course of the evening, what cruel
thorns lay concealed in his bed of roses.

From half past ten until midnight the bell was constantly ringing,
carriages rolling up under the portico, guests succeeding one another,
deputies, senators, councillors of state, municipal councillors,
who looked much rather as though they were attending a meeting of
shareholders than an evening-party of society people. What could account
for this? I had not succeeded in finding an explanation, but a remark of
the beadle Nicklauss opened my eyes.

"Do you notice, M. Passajon," said that worthy henchman, as he stood
opposite me, halberd in hand, "do you notice how few ladies we have?"

That was it, egad! Nor were we the only two to observe the fact. As each
new arrival made his entry I could hear the Nabob, who was standing near
the door, exclaim, with consternation in his thick voice like that of a
Marseillais with a cold in his head:

"What! all alone?"

The guest would murmur his excuses. "Mn-mn-mn--his wife a trifle
indisposed. Certainly very sorry." Then another would arrive, and the
same question call forth the same reply.

By its constant repetition this phrase "All alone?" had eventually
become a jest in the vestibule; lackeys and footmen threw it at each
other whenever there entered a new guest "all alone!" And we laughed
and were put in good-humour by it. But M. Nicklauss, with his great
experience of the world, deemed this almost general abstention of the
fair sex unnatural.

"It must be the article in the _Messenger_," said he.

Everybody was talking about it, this rascally article, and before the
mirror garlanded with flowers, at which each guest gave a finishing
touch to his attire before entering, I surprised fragments of whispered
conversation such as this:

"You have read it?"

"It is horrible!"

"Do you think the thing possible?"

"I have no idea. In any case, I preferred not to bring my wife."

"I have done the same. A man can go everywhere without compromising
himself."

"Certainly. While a woman----"

Then th