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Chapter 21

           HowcuriousitwasthatwhenIreadherlittlenoteofrefusalIshouldexperiencesuchakeensenseofdisappointment!Shewasnothingtome—nothingbuta‘literary’womanwho,bystrangechance,happenedtobesweeterthanmostwomenunliterary;andyetIfeltthatthefêteatWillowsmerewouldlosesomethinginbrightnesslackingherpresence.IhadwantedtointroducehertoSibyl,asIknewIshouldthusgiveaspecialpleasuretomybetrothed—however,itwasnottobe,andIwasconsciousofaninexplicablepersonalvexation.Instrictaccordancewiththepromisemade,IletRimânezhavehisownwayentirelywithregardtoallthearrangementsforwhatwastobetheneplusultraofeverythingeverdesignedforthedistraction,amusementandwondermentoflistlessandfastidious‘swagger’people,andIneitherinterfered,noraskedanyquestions,contenttorelyonmyfriend’staste,imaginationandingenuity.Ionlyunderstoodthatalltheplanswerebeingcarriedoutbyforeignartistsandcaterers—andthatnoEnglishfirmswouldbeemployed.Ididventureoncetoinquirethereasonofthis,andgotoneofLucio’sownenigmaticalreplies:—

           "NothingEnglishisgoodenoughfortheEnglish,"—hesaid—"ThingshavetobeimportedfromFrancetopleasethepeoplewhomtheFrenchthemselvesangrilydesignateas‘perfideAlbion.’Youmustnothavea‘BillofFare’;youmusthavea‘Menu’;andallyourdishesmustbearFrenchtitles,otherwisetheywillnotbeingoodform.

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