But
some of us find it easy enough to be witty and brilliant over good wine
and a perfectly appointed table.
"It is exile; it is nothing short of exile," protested Vassili, who led
the conversation. "Much as I admire my own country, as a country, I do
not pretend to regret a fate that keeps me resident in Paris. For men it
is different, but for madame, and for you, mademoiselle--ach!" He
shrugged his shoulders and looked up to the ceiling in mute appeal to
the gods above it. "Beauty, brilliancy, wit--they are all lost in
Russia."
He bowed to the princess, who was looking, and to Maggie, who was not.
"What would Paris say if it knew what it was losing?" he added in a
lower tone to Etta, who smiled, well pleased. She was not always able to
distinguish between impertinence and flattery. And indeed they are so
closely allied that the distinction is subtle.
Steinmetz, on the left hand of the marquise, addressed one or two
remarks to that lady, who replied with her mouth full. He soon
discovered that that which was before her interested her more than any
thing around, and during the banquet he contented himself by uttering an
exclamation of delight at a particular flavor which the lady was kind
enough to point out to him with an eloquent and emphatic fork from time
to time.
Vassili noted this with some disgust.
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