Among other personages of distinction Paris greets is the Shah of
Persia. The Elysées gave him the traditional gala dinner, to which the
diplomats were invited. The ballroom was arranged as a winter-garden,
with a stage put at the end of it. The ballet from the Opera danced
and played an exquisite pantomime, but the august guest sat sullen and
morose, hardly lifting his Oriental eyes. People were brought up to
him to be introduced, but he did not condescend to favor them with
more than a guttural muttering--probably his private opinion, meant
only for his suite. He merely glanced at us and looked away, as if too
much bored for words. M. Loubet stood on one side, and Madame Loubet
sat in a _fauteuil_ next to him, but he had nothing to say to either
of them. The government had put Dr. Evans's beautiful and perfect
villa in the Bois at his disposition. The persons belonging to the
house say that it is swimming in dirt, and they never expect to get it
clean again. The suite appear to have no other amusements than driving
about the streets from morning to night. The Elysées must have a
hundred carriages in use for them. Last evening there was a gala
performance at the Grand Opéra for the _blasé_ Shah. They gave
"Copelia," with the lovely Mauri as _prima ballerina_. The audience
made no demonstration, although it ought to have shown a certain
amount of Te Deumness, on account of the Shah's escape from an attempt
on his life. He was miraculously saved, and will go on living his
emotionless life for ever and ever. May Allah protect him ... from us!
Speaking of Orientals, the Chinese Minister has taken a very large
apartment in the Avenue Hoche. Evidently they expect to entertain on a
large scale. The wife is called lady, but _he_ is not called lord; the
two pretty daughters look more European than Chinese, having
pink-and-white complexions.
His Excellency was frightened out of his wits when M. Loubet, desiring
a private interview, sent for him. He, not knowing European ways,
thought his last hours had come, and, expecting speedy extermination,
hid himself.
Milady, though half American, did not know exactly what Ascension day
meant and asked her Chinese servant. He replied, "Great Churchman gone
topside to-day."
Mr. Peck is the American commissioner to the Exposition, and Mr.
Thomas Walsh is one of the members of the commission. He gave a
colossal dinner at the restaurant at d'Armenonville, and begged Mr.
Martin, who knows every one in Paris, to select the guests. It was
only on the evening of the dinner he made the acquaintance of the one
hundred people to whom he was host.
Nordica sang after dinner, and sang charmingly, as is her wont.
Mr. Walsh invited us to the American section. We sat on the tarred
roof of a restaurant, where lunch was served _a l'Américaine_. My
heart gladdened at the thought of hot griddle-cakes and corn fritters;
but although everything was delicious, sitting on a tarred roof and
being served by a loquacious black tyro was not appreciated by the
foreign element.
A lady--I won't tell you her name, though you know it--showed the
greatest interest in the house Mr. Walsh is building in Washington,
and desired greatly to advise him and help him choose furniture for
it. She thought Louis XVI. style very suitable for one _salon_, and
proposed Renaissance style for the library, and Empire for the
gallery, and so forth. Mr. Walsh said, in his dry way, "You must
really not bother so much, madame; plain Tommy Walsh is good enough
for me." After which she lost interest in him and gave him up.
We were horrified to hear of King Humbert's assassination at Monza. He
was such a good man and loved his country so devotedly. To be struck
down by one of his own people seems too cruel. How dreadful for Queen
Margherita!
Court mourning is ordered for three weeks.