mounted　to　its　assault。
  Their　repulse　was　a　bitter　humiliation　to　the　PARVENUE　Empress；
  whose　resentment　took　the　form　（along　with　many　other　curious
  results）　of　opening　the　present　Boulevard　St。　Germain；　its　line
  being　intentionally　carried　through　the　heart　of　that　quarter；
  teeming　with　historic　〃Hotels〃　of　the　old　aristocracy；　where
  beautiful　constructions　were　mercilessly　torn　down　to　make　way　for
  the　new　avenue。　　The　cajoleries　which　Eugenie　first　tried　and　the
  blows　that　followed　were　alike　unavailing。　　Even　her　worship　of
  Marie　Antoinette；　between　whom　and　herself　she　found　imaginary
  resemblances；　failed　to　warm　the　stony　hearts　of　the　proud　old
  ladies；　to　whom　it　was　as　gall　and　wormwood　to　see　a　nobody　crowned
  in　the　palace　of　their　kings。　　Like　religious　communities；
  persecution　only　drew　this　old　society　more　firmly　together　and
  made　them　stand　by　each　other　in　their　distress。　　When　the　Bois　was
  remodelled　by　Napoleon　and　the　lake　with　its　winding　drive　laid
  out；　the　new　Court　drove　of　an　afternoon　along　this　water　front。
  That　was　enough　for　the　old　swells！　　They　retired　to　the　remote
  〃Allee　of　the　Acacias；〃　and　solemnly　took　their　airing　away　from
  the　bustle　of　the　new　world；　incidentally　setting　a　fashion　that
  has　held　good　to　this　day；　the　lakeside　being　now　deserted；　and　the
  〃Acacias〃　crowded　of　an　afternoon；　by　all　that　Paris　holds　of
  elegant　and　inelegant。
  Where　the　brilliant　Second　Empire　failed；　the　Republic　had　little
  chance　of　success。　　With　each　succeeding　year　the　〃Old　Faubourg〃
  withdrew　more　and　more　into　its　shell；　going　so　far；　after　the　fall
  of　Mac　Mahon；　as　to　change　its　〃season〃　to　the　spring；　so　that　the
  balls　and　FETES　it　gave　should　not　coincide　with　the　〃official〃
  entertainments　during　the　winter。
  The　next　people　to　have　a　〃shy〃　at　the　〃Old　Faubourg's〃　Gothic
  battlements　were　the　Jews；　who　were　victorious　in　a　few　light
  skirmishes　and　succeeded　in　capturing　one　or　two　illustrious
  husbands　for　their　daughters。　　The　wily　Israelites；　however；
  discovered　that　titled　sons…in…law　were　expensive　articles　and
  often　turned　out　unsatisfactorily；　so　they　quickly　desisted。　　The
  English；　the　most　practical　of　societies；　have　always　left　the
  Faubourg　alone。　　It　has　been　reserved　for　our　countrywomen　to　lay
  the　most　determined　siege　yet　recorded　to　that　untaken　stronghold。
  It　is　a　characteristic　of　the　American　temperament　to　be　unable　to
  see　a　closed　door　without　developing　an　intense　curiosity　to　know
  what　is　behind；　or　to　read　〃No　Admittance　to　the　Public〃　over　an
  entrance　without　immediately　determining　to　get　inside　at　any
  price。　　So　it　is　easy　to　understand　the　attraction　an　hermetically
  sealed　society　would　have　for　our　fair　compatriots。　　Year　after
  year　they　have　flung　themselves　against　its　closed　gateways。
  Repulsed；　they　have　retired　only　to　form　again　for　the　attack；　but
  are　as　far　away　to…day　from　planting　their　flag　in　that　citadel　as
  when　they　first　began。　　It　does　not　matter　to　them　what　is　inside；
  there　may　be　（as　in　this　case）　only　mouldy　old　halls　and　a　group　of
  people　with　antiquated　ideas　and　ways。　　It　is　enough　for　a　certain
  type　of　woman　to　know　that　she　is　not　wanted　in　an　exclusive
  circle；　to　be　ready　to　die　in　the　attempt　to　get　there。　　This　point
  of　view　reminds　one　of　Mrs。　Snob's　saying　about　a　new　arrival　at　a
  hotel：　〃I　am　sure　she　must　be　'somebody'　for　she　was　so　rude　to　me
  when　I　spoke　to　her；〃　and　her　answer　to　her　daughter　when　the　girl
  said　（on　arriving　at　a　watering…place）　that　she　had　noticed　a　very
  nice　family　〃who　look　as　if　they　wanted　to　know　us；　Mamma：〃
  〃Then；　my　dear；〃　replied　Mamma　Snob；　〃they　certainly　are　not　people
  we　want　to　meet！〃
  The　men　in　French　society　are　willing　enough　to　make　acquaintance
  with　foreigners。　　You　may　see　the　youth　of　the　Faubourg　dancing　at
  American　balls　in　Paris；　or　running　over　for　occasional　visits　to
  this　country。　　But　when　it　comes　to　taking　their　women…kind　with
  them；　it　is　a　different　matter。　　Americans　who　have　known　well…born
  Frenchmen　at　school　or　college　are　surprised；　on　meeting　them
  later；　to　be　asked　（cordially　enough）　to　dine　EN　GARCON　at　a
  restaurant；　although　their　Parisian　friend　is　married。　　An
  Englishman's　or　American's　first　word　would　be　on　a　like　occasion：
  〃Come　and　dine　with　me　to…night。　　I　want　to　introduce　you　to　my
  wife。〃　　Such　an　idea　would　never　cross　a　Frenchman's　mind！
  One　American　I　know　is　a　striking　example　of　this。　　He　was　born　in
  Paris；　went　to　school　and　college　there；　and　has　lived　in　that　city
  all　his　life。　　His　sister　married　a　French　nobleman。　　Yet　at　this
  moment；　in　spite　of　his　wealth；　his　charming　American　wife；　and
  many　beautiful　entertainments；　he　has　not　one　warm　French　friend；
  or　the　ENTREE　on　a　footing　of　intimacy　to　a　single　Gallic　house。
  There　is　no　analogy　between　the　English　aristocracy　and　the　French
  nobility；　except　that　they　are　both　antiquated　institutions；　the
  English　is　the　more　harmful　on　account　of　its　legislative　power；
  the　French　is　the　more　pretentious。　　The　House　of　Lords　is　the　most
  open　club　in　London；　the　payment　of　an　entrance…fee　in　the　shape　of
  a　check　to　a　party　fund　being　an　all…sufficient　sesame。　　In　France；
  one　must　be　born　in　the　magic　circle。　　The　spirit　of　the　Emigration
  of　1793　is　not　yet　extinct。　　The　nobles　live　in　their　own　world
  （how　expressive　the　word　is；　seeming　to　exclude　all　the　rest　of
  mankind）；　pining　after　an　impossible　RESTAURATION；　alien　to　the
  present　day；　holding　aloof　from　politics　for　fear　of　coming　in
  touch　with　the　masses；　with　whom　they　pride　themselves　on　having
  nothing　in　common。
  What　leads　many　people　astray　on　this　subject　is　that　there　has
  formed　around　this　ancient　society　a　circle　composed　of　rich
  〃outsiders；〃　who　have　married　into　good　families；　and　of　eccentric
  members　of　the　latter；　who　from　a　love　of　excitement　or　for
  interested　motives　have　broken　away　from　their　traditions。　　Newly
  arrived　Americans　are　apt　to　mistake　this　〃world〃　for　the　real
  thing。　　Into　this　circle　it　is　not　difficult　for　foreigners　who　are
  rich　and　anxious　to　see　something　of　life　to　gain　admission。　　To　be
  received　by　the　ladies　of　this　outer　circle；　seems　to　our
  compatriots　to　be　an　achievement；　until　they　learn　the　real
  standing　of　their　new　acquaintances。
  No　gayer　houses；　however；　exist　than　those　of　the　new　set。　　At
  their　city　or　country　houses；　they　entertain　continually；　and　they
  are　the　people　one　meets　toward　five　o'clock；　on　the　grounds　of　the
  Polo　Club；　in　the　Bois；　at　FETES　given　by　the　Island　Club　of
  Puteaux；　attending　the　race　meetings；　or　dining　at　American　houses。
  As　far　as　amusement　and　fun　go；　one　might　seek　much　further　and
  fare　worse。
  It　is　very；　very　rare　that　foreigners　get　beyond　this　circle。
  Occasionally　there　is　a　marriage　between　an　American　girl　and　some
  Frenchman　of　high　rank。　　In　these　cases　the　girl　is；　as　it　were；
  swallowed　up。　　Her　family　see　little　of　her；　she　rarely　appears　in
  general　society；　and；　little　by　little；　she　is　lost　to　her　old
  friends　and　relations。　　I　know　of　several　cases　of　this　kind　where
  it　is　to　be　doubted　if　a　dozen　Americans　outside　of　the　girls'
  connections　know　that　such　women　exist。　　The　fall　in　rents　and　land
  values　has　made　the　French　aristocracy　poor；　it　is　only　by　the
  greatest　economy　（and　it　never　entered　into　an　American　mind　to
  conceive　of　such　economy　as　is　practised　among　them）　that　they
  succeed　in　holding　on　to　their　historical　chateaux　or　beautiful
  city　residences；　so　that　pride　plays　a　large　part　in　the　isolation
  in　which　they　live。
  The　fact　that　no　titles　are　recognized　officially　by　the　French
  government　（the　most　they　can　obtain　being　a　〃courtesy〃
  recognition）　has　placed　these　people　in　a　singularly　false
  position。　　An　American　girl　who　has　married　a　Duke　is　a　good　deal
  astonished　to　find　that　she　is　legally　only　plain　〃Madame　So　and
  So；〃　that　when　her　husband　does　his　military　service　there　is　no
  trace　of　the　high…sounding　title　to　be　found　in　his　official
  papers。　　Some　years　ago；　a　colonel　was　rebuked　because　he　allowed
  the　Duc　d'Alencon　to　be　addressed　as　〃Monseigneur〃　by　the　other
  officers　of　his　regiment。　　This　ought　to　make　ambitious　papas
  reflect；　when　they　treat　themselves　to　titled　sons…in…law。　　They
  should　at　least　try　and　get　an　article　recognized　by　the　law。
  Most　of　what　is　written　here　is　perfectly　well　known　to　resident
  Americans　in　Paris；　and　has　been　the　cause　of　gradually　splitting
  that　once　harmonious　settlement　into　two　perfectly　distinct　camps；
  between　which　no　love　is　lost。　　The　members　of　one；　clinging　to
  their　countrymen's　creed　of　having　the　best　or　nothing；　have　been
  contented　to　live　in　France　and　know　but　few　French　people；
  entertaining　among　themselves　and　marrying　their　daughters　t