ges
has great advantages. But dancing, sir; nothing has been done for
dancing, and it is dancing which ought, after all, to have been made
obligatory. There ought to be a dancing-master in every high-school, and
a normal-school for dancing with examinations and competitions in
dancing. Dancing ought to be studied the same as Latin or Greek.
Dancing, too, is a language, and a language that every well-bred man
ought to be able to speak. Well, do you know what happens nowadays?
Sometimes it happens, sir, that diplomatic posts are given to people who
get confused in the figures of a quadrille, and who are incapable of
waltzing for two minutes. They know very well that their education is
incomplete. Quite lately a young man came to me--a young man of great
merit, it seems, except in regard to dancing. He had just been attached
to a great embassy. He had never danced in his life--never. Do you
understand? Never! It is scarcely to be credited, and yet it is true.
That's the way M. Barthelemy-Saint-Hilaire picks them out. Oh, this
beard smothers me! Will you permit me?"

"Certainly."

He took off his gray beard, and thus looked much less venerable. He then
continued:

"I said to this young man: 'We will try, but it will be hard work. One
oughtn't to begin dancing at twenty-eight.' I limbered him up as best I
could. I had only two weeks to do it in. I begged him to put off his
departure, to obtain a reprieve of three or four months--I could have
made something of him. He would not. He went without knowing anything. I
often think of him. He will represent us out there; he will represent us
very badly; he will not be an honor to his country. Please to remember
that he may be called upon to take part in some official quadrille--to
dance, for instance, with an archduchess. Well, if he slips up in it,
with his archduchess, it will be charming! All this is very sad indeed.
I am a Republican, sir, an old Republican, and it is painful to think
that the republic is represented by diplomats who cannot distinguish
between a change of foot and a simple step. Do you know what is said in
foreign courts? 'Why, who are those savages that France sends us?' Yes,
that's what they say. The diplomatic corps in the time of the Empire was
not brilliant. Oh no; those gentlemen did many foolish things. Oh yes;
but still they knew how to dance!"

And the good old bishop, seeing that I listened with much interest, went
on with his brilliant improvisa