It
often astonishes me that dinner-giving of this character should
still flourish."
"The explanation is easy," said Van der Roet; "it flourishes
because it gives a mark of distinction. It is a delicious moment
for Mrs. Johnson when she is able to say to Mrs. Thompson, 'My
dear, I am quite worn-out; we dined out every day last week, and
have four more dinners in the next five days.' These good people
show their British grit by the persistency with which they go on
with their penitential hospitality, and their lack of ideas in
never attempting to modify it so as to make it a pleasure instead
of a disagreeable duty."
"It won't do to generalise too widely, Van der Roet," said Sir
John. "Some of these good people surely enjoy their party-giving;
and, from my own experience of one or two houses of this sort, I
can assure you the food is quite respectable. The great
imperfection seems to lie in the utter want of consideration in the
choice of guests. A certain number of people and a certain
quantity of food shot into a room, that is their notion of a
dinner-party.
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