A Bundle of Letters | Page 6

you
want to take a room a day, or something of that sort. But, if you want to
acquire French, the thing is to look out for a family. There are lots of
French families here that take you to board and teach you. My second
cousin--that young lady I told you about--she got in with a crowd like
that, and they booked her right up in three months. They just took her

right in and they talked to her. That's what they do to you; they set you
right down and they talk AT you. You've got to understand them; you
can't help yourself. That family my cousin was with has moved away
somewhere, or I should try and get in with them. They were very smart
people, that family; after she left, my cousin corresponded with them in
French. But I mean to find some other crowd, if it takes a lot of trouble!
I listened to all this with great interest, and when he spoke about his
cousin I was on the point of turning around to ask him the address of
the family that she was with; but the next moment he said they had
moved away; so I sat still. The other gentleman, however, didn't seem
to be affected in the same way as I was.
"Well," he said, "you may follow up that if you like; I mean to follow
up the pictures. I don't believe there is ever going to be any
considerable demand in the United States for French; but I can promise
you that in about ten years there'll be a big demand for Art! And it
won't be temporary either."
That remark may be very true, but I don't care anything about the
demand; I want to know French for its own sake. I don't want to think I
have been all this while without having gained an insight . . . The very
next day, I asked the lady who kept the books at the hotel whether she
knew of any family that could take me to board and give me the benefit
of their conversation. She instantly threw up her hands, with several
little shrill cries (in their French way, you know), and told me that her
dearest friend kept a regular place of that kind. If she had known I was
looking out for such a place she would have told me before; she had not
spoken of it herself, because she didn't wish to injure the hotel by being
the cause of my going away. She told me this was a charming family,
who had often received American ladies (and others as well) who
wished to follow up the language, and she was sure I should be
delighted with them. So she gave me their address, and offered to go
with me to introduce me. But I was in such a hurry that I went off by
myself; and I had no trouble in finding these good people. They were
delighted to receive me, and I was very much pleased with what I saw
of them. They seemed to have plenty of conversation, and there will be
no trouble about that.
I came here to stay about three days ago, and by this time I have seen a
great deal of them. The price of board struck me as rather high; but I

must remember that a quantity of conversation is thrown in. I have a
very pretty little room--without any carpet, but with seven mirrors, two
clocks, and five curtains. I was rather disappointed after I arrived to
find that there are several other Americans here for the same purpose as
myself. At least there are three Americans and two English people; and
also a German gentleman. I am afraid, therefore, our conversation will
be rather mixed, but I have not yet time to judge. I try to talk with
Madame de Maisonrouge all I can (she is the lady of the house, and the
REAL family consists only of herself and her two daughters). They are
all most elegant, interesting women, and I am sure we shall become
intimate friends. I will write you more about them in my next. Tell
William Platt I don't care what he does.

CHAPTER III

FROM MISS VIOLET RAY, IN PARIS, TO MISS AGNES RICH, IN
NEW YORK.
September 21st.
We had hardly got here when father received a telegram saying he
would have to come right back to New York. It was for something
about his business--I don't know exactly what; you know I never
understand those things, never want to. We had just got settled at the
hotel, in some charming rooms, and mother and I, as you may imagine,
were greatly annoyed. Father is extremely