But if he will hold his tongue in public, society will
give him a cup of tea and treat him almost like a human being for
the sake of being said to patronise letters. Any one who likes
society's tea may drink his fill of it in consideration of wearing
a good coat and keeping his wits to himself, but he will not
succeed in marrying any of society's sisters, cousins or aunts
without a severe struggle.
Anastase Gouache did not quite understand this. He sometimes found
himself amidst a group of people who were freely discussing some
person unknown to him. On such occasions he held his peace,
innocently supposing that his ignorance was without any importance
whatsoever, among a set of men and women with whom not to know
every detail concerning every one else is to be little better than
an outcast.
"Now do tell me all about the Snooks and Montmorency divorce,"
says Lady Smyth-Tompkins with a sweetly engaging smile, as she
holds out her hand.
"I did not know there was such a case--I don't know the people,"
you answer.
"Oh! I thought, of course, you knew all about it," Lady Smyth-
Tompkins replies, and her features turn to stone as she realises
that you do not know everybody, and leaves you to your own
reflections.
O Thackeray, snobissme maxime! How well you knew them!
There are no snobs among the Latin races, but there is a worse
animal, the sycophant, descended directly from the dinner-tables
of ancient Rome.
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